


Through Thick and Thin

by Bostonian_Girl85



Category: Inspector Gadget (Cartoon)
Genre: 80s cartoons, Chief Quimby actually does care about Gadget (he just won't admit it), Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Father-Figure Inspector Gadget, Found Family, Gadget being a parent, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Inspector Gadget Being a Father, Inspector Gadget is an awesome uncle, Inspector Gadget original 80s cartoon, Metro City Police Department, Protective!Brain (Inspector Gadget), Protective!Gadget (Inspector Gadget), Uncle-Niece Relationship, domestic life, mentions of Child Protective Services, touch-starved Inspector Gadget
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:13:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 26,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28854111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bostonian_Girl85/pseuds/Bostonian_Girl85
Summary: Growing up isn't easy, even if you are the brilliant niece of the world's only cyborg inspector detective. 13 year-old Penny struggles with some difficult truths about the real world when a well-meaning but ignorant teacher jeopardizes the relationship with her uncle. Meanwhile, Gadget returns from a long-term assignment to find that his niece is growing up quicker than he would like, but also realizes that she'll always need her uncle.Original 80s-verse.
Kudos: 10





	1. Missing You

**Author's Note:**

> During lockdown last spring I started watching some of my favorite cartoons from the 80s and 90s, including 'Inspector Gadget'. I loved the series as a kid and I think out of the entire franchise the original version is still the best (the 2nd season not so much), particularly for the way Gadget and Penny's relationship is portrayed. I feel like more recent of variations of the 'Inspector Gadget' canon have lost the original warmth and familial love that Gadget, Penny and Brain shared in the original cartoon so this is a shameless nostalgic fic for happier times before the world went mad. 
> 
> No major archive warnings apply but I did want to caution that there are some discussions of CPS and the failings of an imperfect system if any readers may be sensitive to that subject. I'm a teacher and I know several CPS workers and they're all wonderful people who are doing the best they can within the system.
> 
> Also, I'm just going to put this out there - this is a gen/family-centered fic focusing on Gadget and Penny's relationship and there is no slash or incest involved here. I've been trying to find some family-centered fics featuring Gadget and Penny and there aren't many out there, so here's my contribution to this awesome franchise.
> 
> Season 1-based, because I just can't reconcile the second season (especially Capeman *shudders*) as canon with the first season. So I'm just completely ignoring Season 2 here. :)

_Metro City Preparatory Academy, Ontario, Canada_

_14 February 1986_

“Miss Brown, are you paying attention?”  
  
Penny jumped and turned her attention away from the rain-splashed window of her classroom and back to her teacher. “I’m sorry Mrs. Johnson,” she said, sitting up straighter in her chair. “Please, can you repeat the question?”  
  
The substitute teacher for her algebra class, a harried-looking middle-aged woman, sighed impatiently. “I _said,_ what is incorrect about the equation your classmate wrote on the board?”  
  
Penny shifted uneasily in her seat. Math was her best subject but she hated being called on in class to correct others. Her innate sense of fairness and natural empathy balked at such a display but she couldn’t ignore a directive from a teacher.

Fighting back a sigh, the thirteen year-old quickly spotted the error. “He forgot to change the sign on the ‘h’ value when converting to vertex form. It should be a negative five, not positive.” 

She shot an apologetic glance at the boy whose equation she had corrected, who merely shrugged and gave her reassuring look that he wasn’t upset before returning his bored gaze to the ceiling.  
  
“Very good, Miss Brown. At least _one_ of you has been paying attention this week.”

A few of her classmates shot Penny annoyed looks but she ignored them, resolutely keeping her eyes on her paper as she quietly worked ahead of the class. She was having trouble staying focused but she refused to give the teacher any reason to call on her again. Their regular algebra teacher had been out all week due to the flu and the harried substitute was rapidly reaching the end of her tether with the restless class. 

The first few weeks of February had begun with almost non-stop rain, fog and snow after a long, brutally cold January. Penny couldn’t help but feel as restless as her classmates now that it was Friday and despite her best effort to stay focused she found her eyes straying to the clock on the wall again and again.

One more week, she thought. One more week until her uncle came home.

When two boys began throwing a paper ball back and forth during the last five minutes of class the substitute teacher finally snapped. 

“Since you all seem unwilling to work in class you can do so at home over the weekend,” she barked as the class groaned. “You have thirty problems due Monday. Good day.”  
  
Penny dropped her face into her hands.

* * *

“Ugh, I hate Mrs. Johnson! I can’t believe she gave us homework over the weekend!” Penny’s classmate Meg complained as she and Penny walked towards the bus station after school. “I mean, it’s just not _fair,_ right Penny?”

Penny shrugged, her thoughts elsewhere as she wondered how her uncle was doing in Boston. Chief Quimby had asked Gadget to assist in a long-term undercover operation with the U.S. FBI and he had been gone for seven weeks now.

Seven weeks. Seven long, quiet, lonely weeks without her uncle, Penny thought as Meg continued to chatter as they trudged through the slushy snow towards the bus stop.  
  
Penny had briefly thought about sneaking after her uncle but she knew it was too risky. Tailing her uncle when he was assigned to solo cases was one thing, but she knew there was no way she could have avoided so many FBI agents. Gadget had been required to leave immediately after Christmas and had been informed the operation would take at least two months. It would have been impossible for Penny to miss so much school without her teachers contacting Gadget.

And besides, Penny thought with a small smile, her uncle had been thrilled to have been selected to assist with the operation. She would never want to jeopardize his standing with the American authorities, or the Metro City PD, if she had somehow been caught.

Not to mention that since she had started junior high she had twice as much homework as she had last year. 

No, it was better that she and Brain stay home and hope and pray that her uncle would manage on his own. He was an inspector after all - a senior rank among the Ontario police - and surely he would be alright on his own.

At least, Penny hoped and prayed he would be. She hadn’t been sleeping well from worrying about her uncle and it was beginning to wear on her. Fortunately her lack of sleep hadn’t begun to impact her schoolwork, at least not yet.  
  
“Penny? You okay?”  
  
The girl blinked and gave Meg a small smile. “I’m sorry, Meg,” she said. “My head’s been up in the clouds.”  
  
To her bafflement Meg giggled as they sat on the bench to wait for their bus. “Up in the clouds, huh? Dreaming about Matthew?”  
  
“Who?”  
  
“Matthew, you silly goose!” said Meg, giving Penny a playful shove. “The boy whose equation you corrected in class today! Ugh, he’s _so_ handsome! And he likes you and you don’t even know it!” Meg added but without any meanness - she was too good-natured for that.  
  
Flushing, her mouth gaping, Penny struggled to think of a response but before she could another voice spoke up.

“Don’t act coy, Penny. It may work on those boys, but not me.”  
  
Both Penny and Meg turned to see another girl, tall and dark-haired, glaring haughtily at them.

Meg rolled her eyes. “No one asked you, Lauren. Go away - like, now.”

Lauren scowled at Meg but kept her sharp eyes fixed on Penny. “Really cute in class today, _Penelope,_ ” she spat. “If you want to try to hide how freakishly weird you are, why not at least try to pretend that you’re not good at math?”

Penny stared in absolute bafflement at the other girl. “Pretend to not be good in math?” she repeated, stunned. “Why would I do that? I love math!”

“Ignore her, Penny,” said Meg, glaring at Lauren. “She’s just jealous.”

“No one asked you, brat,” snapped Lauren before returning her attention to Penny.  
  
“No normal girl gets good grades in math, or straight As at all,” hissed Lauren as she began to walk away. “Remember that, freak!”  
  
Penny scowled but refused to give Lauren the satisfaction of a response, or reveal how much the other girl’s words had hurt her. This wasn’t the first time she had dealt with bullies but for whatever reason she felt stung by the words in a way she hadn’t in previous years. 

Swallowing back a sudden tightness in her throat, Penny pulled her French textbook out of her bag. She tried to put Lauren’s taunts out of her mind but couldn’t focus, and to her shame a few tear drops landed on the page. She quickly blotted them away before they could stain the pages.  
  
“Penny? Are you okay?” said Meg, placing a hand on Penny’s shaking shoulder.

Taking a deep breath, Penny hastily wiped her face away before giving her friend a smile. “I’m fine, really,” she insisted when Meg gave her a skeptical look. “I was just thinking about my uncle. I guess I just miss him.”

Meg nodded. She privately thought that it was so cool that Penny’s uncle was both an inspector and a cyborg, but decided to keep that to herself.

“He’s been gone for what, two months?”  
  
“Seven weeks,” corrected Penny.

“He’ll be home soon, right?” said Meg, standing as she saw their bus pull up.

Penny nodded. “Yes, one more week and he’ll be home.”

She stood, stuffing her book back into her bag as she started to follow Meg onto the bus, but a teacher quickly stopped her.

“Just a moment, Miss Brown. You’re wanted back at school for a meeting,” said the teacher, quickly giving Penny a note before hurrying off, anxious to get back inside the warm building.

Penny took the note and opened it, not even bothering to hide her annoyance. Mrs. Johnson wanted to see her.

“Go ahead, Meg,” said Penny, gesturing towards the impatient bus driver. “Mrs. Johnson is asking for me.”

“You’re not in trouble, right? Want me to go with you?”  
  
“No thanks,” said Penny with a smile. “I’ll see you on Monday. Have a good weekend.”  
  
“OK. Bye Penny!”

Penny watched the bus pull away before slowly trudging back up the steps to the school’s main entrance. She was cold and tired and very much wanted to go home and see Brain, but that would have to wait a bit.

Squaring her shoulders, Penny stepped back into the building.

* * *

Mrs. Johnson studied the slender girl as she sat down by her desk. She was dressed in her school uniform (clean and pressed, she noted - one of the signs that book had told her to watch out for was lack of clean clothing), long hair neatly tied back in a braid. Like most girls her age Penny was at the awkward stage of being all limbs but she seemed healthy, if perhaps a bit tired if the shadows under her eyes were any indication.

“You wanted to see me, Mrs. Johnson?” said Penny politely, hiding the exhaustion in her voice. 

“Yes, dear,” said Mrs. Johnson, smiling. “You’re not in trouble. I just wanted to check in with you. You’ve seemed awfully quiet this week, and a bit distracted,” she added. “Your teacher left some notes for me before he went on leave - he says you’re his best pupil.”  
  
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Johnson,” said the girl. “I’ve just been busy with schoolwork and stuff at home.”  
  
“Yes, you have quite the class load,” the teacher said, glancing at the copy of Penny’s schedule on her desk. “Honors algebra _and_ geometry, biology, English, French, and history...quite the schedule for your grade level.”  
  
Penny shrugged. “I like school,” she said. “I’m sorry if I’ve been distracted - I’m just worried about my uncle. He’s been gone for a while now for work.”  
  
Mrs. Johnson’s eyes widened. “You’ve been left at home alone?”  
  
“Oh no, there’s Brain - that’s my dog -” she added on seeing the teacher’s confused expression. “And someone from the Metro PD has been stopping by every night just to make sure I’m home and I don’t need anything. And Uncle Gadget has called me almost every night.”  
  
Penny paused for a moment, suddenly uncomfortable. She wasn’t sure why she felt as though she needed to defend her uncle but something about Mrs. Johnson’s demeanor was unnerving her. It was almost as if the older woman was waiting for Penny to say something wrong. 

“I see,” said Mrs. Johnson, unsure of whether to continue her questioning. She had heard rumors about this uncle of hers - this cyborg, she thought with an internal grimace - and shuddered at the thought of a sweet girl like Penny being left alone with such a creature. It simply wasn’t _done,_ she thought.

After another awkward minute of silence Mrs. Johnson decided to try a different approach. “Penny, my dear, it’s just you and your uncle at home, correct?”  
  
“And Brain,” added Penny with a frown.

“Er, yes, of course,” said Mrs. Johnson with a simpering smile. “Penny,” she continued, “do you feel safe at home?”  
  
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” exclaimed Penny, shocked at the question. She suddenly wanted to flee the room but good manners had been something her uncle had always been firm about.  
  
“Now, my dear, it’s just us,” said Mrs. Johnson, smiling in a way that Penny couldn’t help think was false. “You know you can be honest with me.”  
  
“I am being honest with you, ma’am,” said Penny firmly. She had heard enough. Taking a deep breath, she made a show of glancing at her watch. “I’m very sorry, Mrs. Johnson, but I need to leave or I’ll miss my bus and have to walk home. In the dark,” she added.

“Oh!” said Mrs. Johnson, frazzled. She hadn’t expected the girl to so quickly take command of the conversation. “Of course, my dear. Have a good weekend.”

After the girl had gone Mrs. Johnson sat at her desk, twisting her fingers together anxiously. She pulled out the book she had been reading ever since she had learned that Penny Brown was the niece of the famed “Inspector Gadget” of Metro City, running through the checklist she had bookmarked.

Withdrawn, distracted, defensive...she saw all the warning signs and felt a thrill that she might be able to rescue the poor child from her clearly neglectful uncle.

But what to do? Call CAS? She didn’t think she had enough evidence to do that, but maybe she could get some evidence?

Her sister-in-law was a secretary to a big law firm – one of the best – in Metro City. Maybe she knew someone who could help.

Mrs. Johnson smiled grimly and began to make some phone calls.

* * *

Penny flung her pencil down in an uncharacteristic show of frustration. The equations in front of her blurred before her eyes before she rested her face in her hands. Brain, who had been curled up on the rug next to her desk, raised his head with an inquisitive whine.

He watched as Penny’s shoulders shook slightly and sat up, worried that his girl was pushing herself too hard. Not only did she have thirty problems to work through (with all work shown) but her history teacher had also assigned them an essay to complete over the weekend. And on top of that she had three chapters to read for her English class. All due by Monday.

Penny was a self-composed and brilliant girl who was accustomed to taking care of both herself and others.

But she was still only thirteen years old. And suddenly she felt very lonely and miserable and desperately wanted to see her uncle.

She heard Brain whine and then a cold, wet nose nudged her arm. Penny lifted her head and gave her friend a small smile.

“Oh Brain, I’m fine - I’m just being silly,” said the girl, wiping at her eyes. “I guess I just really miss Uncle Gadget.”  
  
The dog whined again and laid his head on her lap in sympathy, his expression doleful. Clearly he was also missing the inspector.

Deciding to leave her homework for tomorrow - it was Friday night, after all - Penny went into the kitchen to make herself some hot chocolate. Brain followed closely at her heels, once again wishing that he had been able to accompany the inspector incognito so that at least Penny wouldn’t worry as much as she clearly had been the past few weeks.

As Penny was stirring her mug the phone rang. She glanced at the clock, confused as to who would be calling at almost nine o’clock at night.

She went into the den and picked up the phone. “Brown residence, may I ask who’s calling please?”  
  
 _“Penny!”_ Her uncle’s voice answered, warm and cheerful as always. _“I’m glad you’re still awake. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to call sooner. I wanted to check on you and Brain.”_

The girl grinned and mouthed ‘it’s Uncle’ to Brain before switching the phone to speaker so Brain could listen too.

“We’re fine, Uncle Gadget. Brain’s here too - I’ve put you on speaker.”  
  
 _“Hi Brain!”_

Their dog barked excitedly, standing up on his hind legs to be nearer to the phone.

“How’s Boston, Uncle?”  
  
 _“Cold and wet. Do you know, Penny, that there’s not one Greek building in this city? I mean, it’s ridiculous that they call it the ‘Athens of America’!”_

Penny shared an amused grin with Brain before turning her attention back to the phone. 

“That is pretty strange,” she agreed. “So everything’s going well over there?”

 _"Yes, we should be wrapping things up in another week or two. And what about you? How’s school going? Have you been doing your homework, and brushing your teeth, and taking your vitamins? Do you have enough food in the house? And bus fare? If you need me to wire some more-”_  
  
“Yes to everything, Uncle Gadget,” said Penny with a laugh, tucking her feet under her as she curled up on the sofa. 

“School’s fine. Junior high is different - I have a lot of homework - but it’s...fine,” she added, still unsettled by her earlier conversation with Mrs. Johnson. “And no, I have plenty of bus fare to last me through this month, but thank you.”  
  
Something in her tone must have given herself away because when her uncle next spoke there was a hint of concern in his voice. 

_"Are you sure you’re alright by yourself, Penny? Has someone from the Met been stopping by to check on you? Chief Quimby said he would take care of it-”_

“Yes, Uncle,” Penny quickly reassured him. “There’s been someone here every evening - Chief Quimby even stopped by a few times to see if I needed anything.”

 _“Excellent! Well, it’s almost your bedtime so don’t stay up too late. I’ll see you soon,”_ he added. 

“OK,” said Penny softly, and then added “be careful, Uncle Gadget.”  
  
 _“I’m always on duty, Penny! Nothing gets past me!”_

“I know. Good night, Uncle. I love you,” said Penny, hoping she conveyed a cheerful tone. The last thing she wanted was her uncle to be distracted on a dangerous assignment because he was worried about her.  
  
 _“Good night, Penny. And I love you too. Good night, Brain,”_ said Gadget before ending the call.

Penny stared at the phone for a long moment, suddenly feeling miserable. _‘Don’t be such a cry-baby, Penny,’_ she scolded herself as she clicked on the TV, hoping to distract herself from her morose thoughts. _‘You’re thirteen and Uncle Gadget will be home in a few weeks at the most.’_

Somehow, the thought didn’t comfort her. Brain leapt onto the sofa as she found an old black-and-white film to watch, curling up against her side. Penny patted the dog’s head and within moments she had fallen into an exhausted sleep, the remote slipping from her hand to clatter onto the floor.

Brain nimbly leapt down, placed the remote on the table, and clicked off the TV before curling back up against Penny’s side. 

The dog sighed morosely. He really hoped his master came home soon.

* * *

_Boston, U.S.A._

_14 February 1986_

Gadget set the phone back down with a sigh, staring at it for a moment. He had been away from his niece and dog before but never this long. At thirteen Penny was certainly old enough to take care of herself but he found himself missing them both more and more every day.

And he couldn’t help but feel that there had been something...different in Penny’s voice. She had sounded a bit tired and hoped she wasn’t staying up too late. 

One of the task force members, a young FBI agent, walked in just as Gadget finished his phone call. He smirked at the wistful expression on Gadget’s face.

“Dreamin’ about someone back home, Inspector?” the agent said jokingly. He had at first been annoyed at having been partnered with the freak cyborg but after Gadget had inadvertently saved him and two other agents from being run over by a truck (only to end up electrocuted for his efforts), Donovan’s opinion had swiftly changed.

Besides, he reasoned, they were all officers of the law. They all bled blue - cyborg or not.

“Hmm? Oh, I was just thinking about my niece. I was calling to check on her.”

The younger man’s mouth fell open. “You’re responsible for a kid?” he choked out.  
  
“Of course I am! I’m her legal guardian - she doesn’t have anyone else,” said Gadget as if this was the most obvious fact in the world. He began rummaging in his pockets as he spoke. A hand emerged from his hat (much to Donovan’s fascinated horror) and helped search for whatever the inspector was looking for.

“Ah, thank you!” Gadget said when the hand finally pulled a photo from a pocket before disappearing back into his hat.

“This is Penny, my niece,” said Gadget proudly, holding out the photo. Donovan took it and couldn’t help but smile at the image.

It was a photo of Penny and Brain that had been taken only a few months ago during a beautiful fall day at the park. The girl had her arms wrapped around Brain’s neck and they were both covered in fall leaves.

“Cute kid,” said Donovan, handing back the photo. He paused, then added. “I’ve got a nephew - he’s just turned two,” he added, a bit gruffly. It had never occurred to him, or any of his coworkers, that Gadget had a family that he was responsible for.

Not that they had time to discuss domestic bliss, Donovan thought as he sat down at the desk opposite from Gadget. They had been working non-stop for nearly two months now and everyone was exhausted, including Gadget if the dark circles under his eyes were any indication.

But that was the job, Donovan thought. And their hard work had paid off - they had managed to round up the international smuggling ring they had been watching for months and had arrested the major players just a few hours ago. Chief Quimby from Metro PD had arrived only a few hours ago to help the FBI oversee the extradition of any Canadian citizens while the Americans dealt with the rest.

It was now just past four in the morning - they had worked straight through Friday night and into Saturday waiting for the extradition orders to be approved - and Quimby and the lead FBI supervisor called the task force into the conference room they had been holed up in for weeks now. 

“Well done, everyone,” said the FBI supervisor. “I’ve got some good news - we’re finishing up early here so you all can go home tonight if you’re not too tired to travel.”  
  
There were happy murmurs of relief and surprise from the tired agents. Once they had quieted Quimby added. “For those of you heading back to Ontario, there’s a nonstop flight waiting for you, if you can get packed quickly enough. You’ll be driven to the airport.”  
  
Quimby’s weathered blue eyes drifted over the men and women he was proud to serve with, finally landing on Gadget. The inspector had worked just as hard (if not harder) as everyone else and the exhaustion on his face was matched by the bloodied and burned clothing from their earlier shoot-out with the smugglers. Quimby had asked if Gadget had wanted to go to the hospital after having been electrocuted with enough live wires to put down an elephant (the confrontation had been in an abandoned factory of all places) but Gadget had insisted that he was fine.

“Go home everyone, and good job,” said the FBI supervisor.

As the group began to disperse, Quimby approached Gadget and slapped his shoulder (he winced at the contact - it was like hitting a steel wall). “Good work, Gadget,” he said gruffly.

The inspector smiled but with far less enthusiasm than he normally did. “Thanks, Chief.”

“Now go home to your niece,” Quimby added, holding up a warning finger when it looked as though the inspector was going to protest. “That’s an order, Gadget.”  
  
This time Gadget did smile. “Yes, sir!”

* * *

_Metro City, Ontario, Canada_

_15 February 1986_

It was nearly eleven o’clock later that night when Gadget, swaying with exhaustion, stumbled through the front door of his home. He tried to be as quiet as possible, not wanting to disturb Penny who was sleeping upstairs.

“Wowsers, that was a long flight,” he muttered, setting his bag down with a soft thump, followed by his hat. He switched on the hallway light before wearily making his way into the den, tugging off his coat and tie with slow, heavy movements. He hadn’t had time to shower or change his clothes before heading to the airport and wasn’t sure if he had enough energy to make it up the stairs, let alone shower.

Yes, passing out on the sofa was sounding pretty good right now, he thought. He smiled as he thought how surprised Penny and Brain would be to see that he was home early.

Gadget clicked on another lamp and then froze as he entered the den.

His niece was not upstairs in her bed, safe and warm where she should be, but fast asleep on the sofa. Gadget draped his coat and tie over the back of a chair before kneeling in front of the sofa, his eyes soft as he gazed at Penny’s face.

Brain started awake at the sudden brightness from the lamp and let out a happy yelp that was quickly stifled by Gadget’s hand across his muzzle.

“Shh, don’t wake her,” said Gadget. Brain nodded and quietly jumped from the sofa as he went into the kitchen for a snack. 

Penny stirred but didn’t wake as Gadget clicked the lamp off again, keeping only the light from his miniature built-in flashlight on so that he could loosen his collar and roll up his sleeves.

Once he had done that Gadget turned back towards the sofa. He hated to wake his niece but he also didn’t think he had the energy to carry her up to her room. So he decided on the next best option. He kicked off his shoes and carefully lifted Penny enough so that he could stretch out his lanky frame along the sofa before settling his niece again.

Penny mumbled something and curled closer into Gadget’s side, her head resting against his chest. Gadget stretched out his mechanical arm to grab a blanket and pull it over Penny.

He then lightly draped his arm around the girl’s shoulders, pressing a kiss into her hair. He was asleep within minutes, comforted by the familiar weight and warmth of his niece.

Brain poked his head back into the den some time later, happy to see his mistress safe in her uncle’s arms. Satisfied, Brain yawned and padded into the hallway, determined to keep a vigil near the front door so his two favorite humans could rest easy.

* * *

_16 February 1986_

Penny woke slowly, confused as to why she wasn’t in her bed. Gradually she became aware that there was something cold and hard - like a wall or metal - under her chin.

Metal...the girl’s eyes opened and widened in delighted surprise to see her uncle fast asleep next to her, snoring loudly.

The girl’s smile grew when she realized that Gadget had pulled a blanket over her sometime during the night. Reluctantly drawing back a bit, Penny propped herself up on one arm to take stock of her uncle and reassure herself that he was still hale and hearty. She didn’t like what she saw.

Gadget looked completely exhausted. He was sprawled on his back, mouth slightly open as he snored softly. His left arm and leg dangled over the edge of the sofa, his right arm flung over the sofa’s back. Penny was alarmed to see that not only had he fallen asleep in his clothes, but that he looked nothing like his usual pristine self.

His hat and coat were flung haphazardly over a chair along with his tie. His shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, sleeves messily rolled up. At least he had taken off his shoes, thought Penny. But what disturbed her the most were the grime and rust-colored stains on Gadget’s shirt. She was almost certain the latter were bloodstains. But she couldn’t see any noticeable injuries on her uncle.

Brain whined softly and Penny looked over Gadget’s slowly rising and falling chest at the dog. “He must be exhausted, Brain. I wonder what happened in Boston,” she said, keeping her voice low. 

Brain whined in agreement, nudging Gadget’s hand with his nose.

Penny didn’t want to wake her uncle but she knew he would be more comfortable once he got cleaned up.

“Uncle Gadget?” she said softly, giving his shoulder a slight shake.

No answer, just another snore.

“Uncle Gadget, wake up,” she whispered, stretching up a bit to press a kiss to her uncle's rough cheek. The fact that he hadn’t shaved in several days was another sign of how busy he must have been during his undercover assignment. Gadget snorted and shifted at the soft touch but otherwise remained dead to the world.

Suddenly feeling mischievous, Penny placed a hand on Gadget’s shoulder for balance and began to brush soft, light kisses against his face. “Uncle Gadget, it’s morning,” she murmured against his temple. 

“Mphm...Claw...n’t gonna ‘scape…” Gadget mumbled in his sleep, making Penny giggle again. She placed a slender, delicate hand against Gadget’s cheek and turned his face back towards her, kissing his cheek in much the same way she had when they had visited the race track three years ago.

Brain, picking up on Penny’s idea, let out a happy “whuff” and began to lick playfully at Gadget’s hand in an effort to wake his master. 

“Uncle, it’s time to get up,” Penny said, a bit louder this time as she pressed more gentle kisses against his brow, hair, and cheeks. She brushed his unkempt hair out of his face before kissing his brow again and then the bridge of his Roman-shaped nose.

That finally got a reaction. Gadget woke with a start, sitting upright so quickly that he nearly fell off the sofa completely.

“Who-wha-where…” he mumbled, flailing a bit before remembering where he was.

“Wowsers, I must have been tired if I fell asleep out here, and in my clothes too,” he added. He yawned and cracked his neck (at an angle that would have killed a normal human) before turning towards Penny.

“Hello, Penny,” he said, the exhaustion seeping from his expression as he gazed at his niece with unfettered affection. 

Brain, not to be forgotten, gave a short bark.

“Hi there, Brain,” said Gadget, patting the dog’s head. “Well, did you two miss me?” he said to Penny with a smile.

The words had barely left Gadget’s mouth before the inspector found himself with an armful of both niece and dog. 

“Of course we missed you, Uncle!” said Penny, laughing as she hugged him tightly. “You’re back early! But I thought you’d be gone at least another week. Did something happen? Are you okay? What happened to your clothes?”  
  
Gadget held up a hand to pause his niece’s questions. “I’ll tell you all about it, but first let me up. I’d like to clean up first,” he added with another smile.  
  
Penny nodded and leapt to her feet, suddenly feeling more energized than she had in days. “Okay. I’ll start breakfast,” she chirped as she darted up the stairs to get dressed.

Smiling, Gadget stood and started to stretch but stopped when he felt the aches and pains in his body flare.

He felt a paw worry at his leg and looked down to see Brain looking up at him, tag wagging. The inspector smiled and patted his faithful dog’s head. “Thanks for looking after Penny for me while I was away, Brain. Sorry I was gone so long, but I’m glad you were here.”  
  
The dog barked and sat up straighter, chest puffed out proudly as if to say, ‘it was nothing’. Gadget smiled and gave Brain one last pat. “Good man.”

Brain nudged his head against Gadget’s knee but backed quickly away again, shaking his head. Gadget glanced down at his clothes that were still covered in grime and frowned. “You’re right Brain - a shower is definitely in order.”  
  
The dog huffed in agreement before turning towards the kitchen to hunt for breakfast. 

Smiling, Gadget headed upstairs to grab some clothes from his bedroom before going into the bathroom. Once inside he quickly yanked off his dirty clothes - he wasn’t sure even dry cleaning would save them - and turned on the water as hot as he could stand it.

He sighed - it was good to be home. Being away from his family for so long had been more difficult than he would have thought.

“Hmm, I must be getting old,” he mused before stepping into the shower.

As soon as the hot water hit the burns on his skin pain exploded through his body, nearly punching the air from his lungs. Biting back a shout of pain, Gadget grabbed onto the safety bar installed on the shower wall to steady himself.

“Wowsers,” he muttered once he had regained his breath and his vision cleared. He slowly released his grip on the bar, wincing as he realized that he had crushed the steel in his grip. He’d have to get that replaced, and hopefully without his niece noticing. He was just thankful that they had two bathrooms.

It seemed that when he had been electrocuted it had damaged his nerve receptors, he realized with dismay. But there wasn’t much to be done about it - no hospital had the technology to repair those. He’d have to contact Von Slickstein and see what the elderly professor could do.

Grimacing, Gadget resolutely finished his shower.

* * *

“Ouch!”  
  
Penny paused on her way towards the kitchen at Gadget’s pained yelp that came through the bathroom door. She frowned worriedly - he had been in there for nearly an hour. Hoping her uncle hadn’t accidentally broken the tile again (the last time he had slipped in the shower he had made a huge crack in the floor where he had fallen - it had cost a small fortune to have the tile replaced), Penny knocked on the closed bathroom door.

“Uncle Gadget, are you okay in there?”

“Yes, fine,” said Gadget through the door. “Just a moment, Penny.”  
  
The girl waited a moment before the door opened, followed by a rush of warm steam. Waving her hand to clear away the condensation, Penny cautiously peeked into the bathroom and was both relieved and puzzled to see that there were no signs of damage. 

Gadget was standing in front of the sink, dressed in sweatpants but barefoot and without his shirt. His thick hair, still wet from the shower, clung messily to his forehead and neck and the lower half of his face was covered in shaving cream.

Penny had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the sight. It was rare to see her uncle, who was always so careful to look impeccable at all times (“I’m always on duty, Penny!”) look so...normal. Not that she had ever thought her uncle was a “freak” (she heard the ugly names some of the Metro officers called Gadget when the inspector wasn’t around). But still, she thought, it was nice to see him relaxing a bit and doing something as ordinary as shaving.

Her amusement quickly faded to shock as she caught sight of the ugly bruises running along the broad sweep of Gadget’s ribcage and back as he turned slightly to reach a spot he had missed. But even worse than that were the ugly, vivid red burns spread across his chest, back, and shoulders.

They reminded Penny of something she had seen in a science book - Lichtenberg figures - she remembered. Those marks could have only been made by extremely powerful electric currents.

“Uncle, you’re hurt!” she exclaimed, stepping further into the bathroom. Brain, who had come to see what the fuss was about, whined in distress from the doorway.

“Hurt? This?” scoffed Gadget. “Don’t be silly Penny, it’s just a razor cut,” he added, pointing to his cheek where he had nicked the skin and was bleeding slightly. He bent over the sink to rinse his razor and wash his face clean.

“No, not…” Penny swallowed, unable to speak as the injuries suddenly made her deepest, darkest fear become real with shocking brutality.

Her uncle was incredibly strong and resilient (he had once been run over by a train, after all), but he was as much flesh and blood as machine. And he wasn’t invincible. 

“Not that,” she managed after a moment. “Those burns...Uncle Gadget, what _happened_?”

“Oh, those?” Gadget said, looking down at his torso. He grimaced slightly before shrugging one broad shoulder, wincing a bit. “Ah, got into a bit of trouble during the last night of my assignment. Nearly got run over by the suspect’s truck but luckily I was faster,” he added with a familiar proud grin. “Getting hit by a truck wasn’t nearly as bad as getting electrocuted,” he added with an afterthought.

“You were _electrocuted?_ ” Penny gasped, her hands flying to her face in shock. “Are you in any pain?”

“Well, it was certainly unpleasant but as you can see I’m just fine.” As he spoke he twisted a bit and Penny saw a grimace of pain on his face before he quickly hid it.

When Penny just continued to stare at him in horrified silence Gadget took a bit of shaving cream and plopped it on the girl’s nose.

“No need for alarm, Penny,” said Gadget as he tugged her hands away from her face, briefly caressing the red marks on Penny’s cheeks where her nails had dug into her skin. “I’ll be just fine!”

It was several moments before Penny could speak. She wiped the bit of shaving cream off of her nose before taking in a deep, shuddering breath. “Uncle, did you go to the hospital and at least have them cleaned?”  
  
“No,” said Gadget as he stepped out of the bathroom, grabbing his robe from the hook on the door as he did so. “I’m quite alright, Penny, really. No need to fuss.”  
  
Penny didn’t believe a word of that as she and Brain followed the inspector downstairs and into the kitchen.

“But...the pain...Uncle…” Penny trailed off. “How can you stand it?”  
  
“Well, I can’t feel it - not really,” said Gadget, unaware of his niece’s growing distress. “At least, not all of it. The nerve receptors are really handy like that,” he added as he took down a mug. As he spoke Penny noticed that he hadn’t put on his robe, which confirmed her suspicions that he was in more pain than he was willing to admit but didn’t want to show it.

Penny’s eyes widened as Gadget’s last comment made her think of something that had never occurred to her before. For as long as she could remember her uncle had never seemed bothered by the weather, whether it was scorching hot or freezing cold outside. There were other things too - how he always took very hot showers, the fact that he always wore gloves, that he never seemed bothered with injuries…she had never connected the dots until now.

“Uncle Gadget,” she said slowly, struggling to remain calm. “Do you mean you can’t feel anything? Nothing at all?”  
  
“Well, not quite nothing,” said Gadget as he went to pour some coffee. “It just takes a lot. I definitely felt that electric bolt, let me tell you!” he added with a laugh. 

When Penny continued to stare in horrified shock Gadget’s expression shifted. “No need for that long face, Penny,” he said. “I can still feel, just not a lot, at least through my hands,” he amended quickly.

He gave Penny a reassuring smile and turned back to the coffee pot but froze when he suddenly felt slender arms wrap around his waist. Hastily setting down his full mug, Gadget turned to see his niece embracing him tightly.

“Penny?” he asked, trying half-heartedly to pull free but quickly stopping when it became apparent that Penny wasn’t about to let go. He could have easily freed himself but didn’t dare for fear of hurting his niece.

“Oh, Uncle,” was all Penny could say through the tightness in her throat. 

She pressed her face against the hard, cool expanse of Gadget’s chest, tears squeezing past her closed eyes. How could she not have noticed this, she cursed herself silently. All these years and he had never once hinted that he couldn’t feel the way a normal person could. Penny wondered what else her uncle had kept from her. The thought made her shudder.

“You really can’t feel this?” she whispered, giving him another squeeze with her arms (careful to avoid the burns) as she finally managed to look up at her uncle.

Gadget shifted a bit, suddenly feeling awkward and rather vulnerable. He had never once minded his niece showing him physical affection, but he had always had the protective barrier of clothing to disguise the parts of him that were more machine than man. He wasn’t even dressed properly, for pity’s sake! 

“Uncle?”  
  
The inspector sighed and considered telling his niece a white lie, but as soon as he looked back at Penny’s stricken expression he knew he couldn’t. “I can a little,” he admitted. “But it takes longer for the nerve receptors to recognize touch. That’s why I wear the gloves - they help with reception.”

Penny nodded slowly, resting her cheek against Gadget’s chest. His skin was cool but not as cold as it normally was, probably due to the scorching hot shower he had just taken, she thought sadly. 

“Is that why you’ve never held me?” she blurted out before she had time to think.

The more she thought about it, she realized that while her uncle was always good to her and never hesitated to show his affection, his touches were always restricted to a pat on the head or a touch to her shoulder, or sometimes a brief one-armed embrace. But never a real, proper embrace, she thought with a rush of pain so sharp that her eyes welled with fresh tears.

She felt Gadget’s chest expand as he sucked in a breath. “Penny, I…”  
  
“I’m sorry! I didn’t think...I didn’t mean…”  
  
“It’s alright, Penny,” said Gadget, patting her head with one large hand. He still hadn’t made any move to embrace her even though he rested one hand on her shoulder.

“You can, you know,” the girl murmured, giving her uncle another reassuring squeeze. “Hold me I mean. I promise you won’t hurt me, Uncle. You never could,” she added earnestly.

Gadget hesitated before slowly bringing his arms up to wrap around Penny’s shoulders. He glanced down at his niece again and when she gave him an encouraging smile he dared to tighten his embrace just a bit and pull her closer to him.

“I’ll stay here as long as it takes,” she said, giving her uncle another reassuring smile. “Until you can feel this.”

Gadget didn’t answer but he did rest his chin on top of Penny’s head. He felt something brush against his sweats and looked down to see Brain leaning into his leg. The canine looked up at his master, whining softly and Gadget stroked the dog’s head.

They stood there for a few moments before Gadget gradually became aware of several things. He could feel warmth seeping into his artificial skin from where Penny’s cheek pressed against his chest, as well as the silky softness of her hair underneath his chin. Underneath his hands her back rose and fell in slow, steady breaths.

“Uncle Gadget, are you okay?”

Suddenly overcome with emotion and not trusting himself to speak, Gadget simply gave Penny a very gentle squeeze and nodded. 

Penny shifted a bit closer, hoping some of her own natural warmth could warm her uncle. She smiled when she felt Gadget’s embrace tighten ever so slightly. No matter how strange and unpredictable her life was, she had always felt safe in her uncle’s arms. That was one fixed point in her otherwise crazy life and she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

And he was feeling a bit warmer, she realized with a small smile. She shifted a bit to rest her head over the steady thrum of Gadget’s heart beat, comforted by the familiar scents of his soap and the warm, woodsy-smelling cologne he sometimes wore. 

He shifted a bit to rest his weight against the counter (he weighed twice as much as a normal man), Penny and Brain leaning against his tall frame, both confident that Gadget wouldn’t let them fall.

Penny was more than happy to stay that way for as long as her uncle needed. It felt so good to just be together like this, she thought, quiet and peaceful and just being together as a family.

And she could have lost that - nearly had lost her uncle and she never would have known. The thought suddenly hit her with brutal force and suddenly she was fighting back sobs as she imagined her uncle dying alone and in a strange city without her. Then she’d be truly alone...it was too much for her exhausted state.

“Penny!” Gadget exclaimed, shocked to see his normally composed niece so distraught. The last time he had seen Penny cry like this was when she had been very small - barely four - and still missing her parents. “What is it? What’s wrong?” A horrible thought suddenly sprang to his mind and he began to pull away. “Did I hurt you?”  
  
Penny shook her head, unable to voice all of the emotions she was feeling. “N-no,” she managed to say between sobs. “P-please...just hold me?”

The heartfelt plea banished any remaining awkwardness Gadget felt. He may not have been Penny’s biological father but he was still a parent. Before he even realized it he was cradling Penny close, arms wrapped firmly (but carefully) around her shaking frame. 

He didn’t know what to say so instead he just held onto Penny as she cried, stroking her long hair. She had stopped wearing it in pigtails about a year ago and while Gadget missed the familiar style it was nice to be able to run his fingers through the long strands. The gesture seemed to comfort his niece as she gradually calmed under the gentle touch.

When her sobs had slowed somewhat Gadget, acting on pure instinct, started pressing gentle kisses against her golden head. “Shh, shh,” he murmured, swaying slightly. Desperate to comfort his niece, he cupped her face in both large hands and tilted her head up to press a gentle kiss to her brow, something he had never done before.

Penny gave her uncle a surprised look but she was smiling, the tears on her face quickly drying. 

“Aha! There’s a smile,” said Gadget as Penny laughed. Next to them Brain let out a happy bark, relieved to see his girl happier than she had been in weeks.

Feeling more confident Gadget pressed another kiss to Penny’s brow, letting his lips linger for a moment against her smooth, warm skin. He had almost forgotten what human touch felt like. He knew Penny wasn’t afraid of him and it felt good to finally be able to show her at least some of the affection his sweet niece had never hesitated to show him.

“I missed you,” he murmured against her skin. “Both of you,” Gadget added, smiling down at Brain when the dog gave him an affronted look.

“No more tears,” he added, pushing Penny’s hair away from her face before kissing her damp cheeks. “I’m just fine. Right, Brain?” he said, smiling down at their dog.

Brain whuffed in agreement.

“I know, Uncle,” said Penny, wiping at her face. “I’m sorry, I just…” she trailed off, embarrassed. What was wrong with her? She was never this emotional.

“And no more apologies either,” Gadget chided, emphasizing his words with more gentle kisses against her hair. For all of his usual clumsiness he held his niece’s face as though she were made of spun glass rather than flesh and bone.

“I should be the one apologizing,” continued Gadget, wiping a few tear tracks away with his thumbs. “I never thought about…well, that is…” he sputtered a bit, struggling to find words.

“It’s okay, Uncle,” said Penny. “How about no more apologizing for both of us?”  
  
The inspector laughed. “Alright.” He kissed Penny’s forehead again but didn’t release her immediately. He frowned as he studied the beloved face he knew so well; he was certain Penny hadn’t been as pale as she was now. And now that he thought about it, she felt a bit thinner in his arms.

Penny’s stomach growled suddenly. The girl blushed and Gadget smiled. “Breakfast,” he said, unable to resist pressing one last kiss against her brow. “And I want to see you eat every bite - no arguments, young lady!” he added sternly before giving her a gentle push towards the table.  
  
“Do you want some help, Uncle?” Penny asked as she sat down. She watched as her uncle began pulling out all sorts of pots and pans. “Er, what are you making, by the way?”

“No, you just relax, Penny,” said Gadget cheerfully as he began tossing all sorts of ingredients into a bowl. “I’m making liver and onions with eggs and applesauce dressing. It’s very healthy!”

Brain and Penny exchanged a smile. It was good to have their inspector back home.


	2. Neither Man nor Machine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, folks! This chapter kept getting longer and longer until I finally had to stop. Major angst and emotion H/C here, but also lots of family feels. The third chapter will have more action. I hope you enjoy the latest installment and thank you for stopping by. :)

Fortunately for Penny and Brain when Gadget discovered that they did not, in fact, have liver and onions (or applesauce) on hand he decided that simple eggs and toast would do just fine. He even managed not to set the fire alarm off this time while he was cooking.

They were just finishing breakfast when there was a knock at the door.

"Now who could that be, and on a Sunday?" grumbled the inspector. Penny started to get up but stopped when her uncle waved at her to stay seated.

"No, finish your breakfast, Penny. You're too pale. Eat! he said firmly, wagging a finger at the girl before going to answer the door.

"Chief Quimby!" Gadget exclaimed upon opening the door to see his somewhat haggard and rumpled-looking boss standing on his doorstep.

"Good morning, Gadget. Sorry to drop by so early - may I come in?"

"What are you doing here? I thought you were still in Boston," said Gadget, waving Quimby in before shutting the door.

"I left shortly after you did - the FBI said they could take care of the rest. Hello, Penny," Quimby added, flashing a smile at Penny as Gadget led him back into the kitchen.

"Hi, Chief Quimby," said the girl, giving Quimby a genuine smile but secretly praying that he wasn't here to call her uncle back to work already.

"But that still doesn't explain why you're here," said Gadget, rubbing his chin. His expression brightened suddenly. "Do you have a new assignment for me? I'm always on duty, you know!"

Quimby caught Penny's crestfallen expression out of the corner of his eye and quickly spoke.

"Relax, Gadget. I'm not here on business. I just wanted to stop by to check in on you and Penny. And to tell you to check out the six o'clock news on Channel Five tonight."

"What's happening on the news tonight, Chief Quimby?" said Penny, rubbing her chin in a gesture that was so reminiscent of her uncle that the older man chuckled. "It's a surprise, but you definitely don't want to miss it," he broke off with a yawn. "Excuse me."

"Do you want some coffee, Chief Quimby?" said Penny, gesturing towards the pot. "There's still plenty left."

"Sure, thanks" he said, smiling as Penny handed him a mug. He poured a cup and settled against the counter as Gadget and Penny returned to their seats at the table. As he sipped his coffee he watched the pair, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. He had never really seen Gadget as a parent despite being Penny's legal guardian. It was so bizarre, he realized, to see Gadget outside of work and in his own home. He couldn't help but smile a bit as he watched Penny update her uncle about school (apparently a bad strain of the flu was going around) and what she had been doing during his absence. Gadget listened attentively, asking a few questions but letting his niece do most of the talking. At some point Brain meandered over and rested his head in Gadget's lap, closing his eyes blissfully as the inspector stroked his head.

Watching the three of them together made Quimby even more certain that sending Gadget home early had been the right thing to do. When Quimby had last checked in on Penny before heading down to Boston the girl had seemed quiet and not at all like her vivacious, cheerful self. Quimby had chalked her demeanor up to nerves about starting junior high and likely missing her uncle more than she was willing to show.

But then, Penny was what - thirteen now? Mood swings were common for her age. Quimby hid a smirk in his mug as he thought about Gadget suddenly realizing that he had a teenaged girl under his roof. As a father himself Quimby was all too familiar with that experience, although it had been with his son and not a girl.

Quimby sighed wistfully as he poured some more coffee, not wanting to intrude on the peaceful scene before him. He was quite certain the three had forgotten he was even there but that was alright. He bit back a chuckle as Gadget insisted on Penny eating more and how he was planning several healthy recipes (something involving purple foods only) to try now that he was home.

He had certainly never seen Gadget look so...domestic, was the only word he could think of. Without his usual coat and suit he looked like any other parent on a day off, especially given that he was wearing only his robe, sweatpants, and slippers. Even his gloves were gone, Quimby noticed with some surprise.

Quimby was also startled to see that without his hat there were a few streaks of grey in Gadget's dark hair (there was a running bet among the Metro PD on whether or not Gadget was bald under his ever-present hat but clearly he wasn't) as well as lines around his eyes and mouth.

The slight signs aging momentarily threw Quimby. When had he started thinking of Gadget as just a machine and not a man? And for that matter, a fellow officer - a parent - who was responsible for a young girl?

"Chief? You alright?"

Quimby blinked and shook himself, a bit unnerved. He gave a short nod to Gadget and straightened. "Yes, fine, just tired from the flight. I'd better be getting home," he added, setting his empty mug down and tugging his jacket straight.

"Good bye, Penny," he waved to the girl, who chirped back a cheerful reply as she went to rinse the dishes.

As Gadget followed Quimby to the door the older man paused in the open doorway.

"Chief?" said Gadget, raising his brows in confusion.

"I'm giving you and the rest of the task force members two weeks off," he said a bit gruffly. "Make the most of it."

Gadget nodded and saluted him. "Will do, sir."

* * *

Quimby was stopped at a red light on his way home when his work phone began to ring. Frowning but knowing he couldn't ignore a call - even if it was on a Sunday morning - he punched the "answer" button as he waited for the light to change.

"Quimby here," he barked as he activated the hands-free radio.

"Chief, I know you're off today but we have a situation here." It was the on-duty sergeant at the central station.

"What sort of situation?" said Quimby shortly, glaring at the light. He was tired and wanted to go home, blast it.

"You'd better come down to the station sir."

"That's not an answer, sergeant," barked Quimby as the light changed and he drove towards his home.

"I know, sir, but it's a sensitive issue." The sergeant paused and then added. "It's about Gadget...there's been an official complaint filed."

"We've gotten at least half a dozen complaints on Gadget - mostly claims for damage to property - every month for the past _four_ years, sergeant. What makes this so urgent?"

"Sir, the complaint involves both Gadget and his niece. It's from CAS."

Quimby slammed on his breaks and performed a sharp u-turn that only a seasoned police officer could have managed on the wet, icy streets.

He sighed as he called his wife. Home would have to wait.

* * *

Late that evening Gadget called Professor Von Slickstein on the specialized camera and voice recorder the professor had given him years ago. Penny had suggested that he contact the professor to see if anything could be done about his damaged nerve receptors and his inability to fully recognize touch.

It had taken some convincing, but Penny had also managed to cajole Gadget into letting her put some ointment on his wounds before bandaging them so he would at least be more comfortable.

"Feeling better, Uncle?" asked Penny as Gadget set the computer up in the study.

"Much, thank you, Penny," said Gadget, giving his niece a smile as he dialed the number and waited for the connection to appear.

The screen went black for a moment as the dial tone rang, and then Professor Von Slickstein's worn but caring face appeared on the screen.

"Inspector Gadget! What a surprise - and Penny!" he said as the girl appeared over Gadget's shoulder.

"Evening Professor," said Gadget. "I hope I'm not calling too late."

"No, no, not at all. I was just doing some light reading. Hello Brain," the professor added as a familiar pink nose appeared in front of the screen.

Brain barked and licked the screen, tagging wagging excitedly.

"Hi, Professor," said Penny, gently tugging Brain away from the screen.

The elderly professor chuckled at the dog's antics before turning his attention back to the humans. "It's been nearly a year since I last saw you," he added with a kind smile at Penny. "Last time, you were all elbows and knees. Now I see a lovely young lady before me. Your uncle must be very proud."

Penny blushed and mumbled a "thank you", ducking her head shyly. Gadget gave his niece a fond look before looking back at the screen. He briefly explained the problem with his nerve receptors and how they had become damaged.

"It sounds to me like that electrical burst short-circuited the receptors, Gadget," said Von Slickstein. "I can walk you through the steps to reset them - that should do the trick."

"Ah, that should be easy enough," said Gadget. He pushed up the sleeve of his bathrobe and held out his left forearm, where a panel was blended seamlessly into his skin. He flexed his arm and the panel suddenly opened to review a small, digital switchboard. Gadget started to follow Von Slickstein's instructions but it was difficult as the wires were very small.

"Here, Uncle," said Penny after watching for a few moments. "Let me try - my fingers are smaller."

Gadget blinked in surprise but nodded. Penny carefully followed the professor's instructions and her light touch and slender fingers made quick work of the repairs. Once she was done Gadget pressed the panel closed.

"Well done, Penny," said Von Slickstein, impressed. "You have a skillful touch - you'd make a fine doctor someday."

"Thanks, Professor," said Penny, smiling at the elderly gentleman before turning back to her uncle. "Uncle Gadget? How's the pain now? Is it any better?

Gadget frowned in thought for a moment before nodding. "Much. I don't even feel it anymore," he added with a relieved smile.

His words suddenly reminded Penny of her earlier revelation and she turned back towards the screen.

"Professor, I'm glad my uncle's not in pain anymore but is it true he can't feel anything? Not even…" she faltered, not wanting to embarrass her uncle but still deeply unnerved that Gadget couldn't experience touch the same way other people could.

Von Slickstein blinked in surprise, his snowy white brows climbing above his glasses.

"You _can_ feel things, Gadget. I made certain of that during your, er...recovery," he said, casting a quick glance at Penny. "The gloves were only meant to help you recover your full sense of touch and assist with coordination until you were back on your feet. Tell me, Gadget - how often do you wear those gloves?"

"Well, all the time, I suppose."

"I see. Then that certainly explains a lot. You haven't allowed yourself to experience touch in so long that the receptors have forgotten, as it were, how to connect the sensations to your central nervous system."

Gadget leaned back in his chair, surprised. "Wowsers, I never thought of it like that."

"So you mean he would be able to feel, Professor?" said Penny hopefully. Von Slickstein nodded with a fond smile. "That's correct, my dear. It will take some time - several weeks most likely - but I assure you, Gadget, that you can still experience touch just like any other person. You just need to practice feeling those sensations."

"Right, thanks Professor. Say, Penny - it's almost six o'clock."

"Oh, that's right! Chief Quimby said we should watch the news. I'll make us some popcorn. Good night, Professor. It was good seeing you again."

"Good bye, my dear," Von Slickstein said, watching with a fond smile as Penny and Brain disappeared into the kitchen.

"Thank you for your help, Professor. Good night," said Gadget. He reached over to shut off the screen but Von Slickstein stopped him.

"Just a moment, John," he said.

Gadget paused, a bit startled to hear his given name. Hardly anyone ever used it anymore - he was simply "Gadget" to everyone, even his niece.

"How are you, really? It's been some time since we've talked."

Gadget shrugged. "In perfect working order as usual, Professor."

"I see," said Von Slickstein. His green eyes, faded with age but still sharp, peered at Gadget for a long moment. "Remember this, John. You are still a man, no matter how many 'gadgets' run through your body. That is the best part of you. Everything else - the wires, receptors, transmitters, cooling fluid - is all secondary."

Gadget nodded, unsure of what to say. Sometimes he worried that he was starting to feel more like a machine than a man. As if sensing his thoughts Von Slickstein continued, more firmly this time. "I saved your life so that you could go on with your work, and so that you could stay with your niece. Not because I wanted to create the world's first cyborg. You're still John Brown and your heart - even if it now beats because of the electricity that runs through your body - is still human. Don't forget that."

"I won't, Professor. And thank you again, for everything."

The elderly professor chuckled. "I'll leave you in your niece's good hands then. She's quite a remarkable child."

Gadget smiled. "Yes, she is."

"Good night, Gadget. You know how to reach me if you ever need anything, or just wish to talk."

"Good night, Professor."

* * *

_Metro City PD Central Station_

_16 February 1986_

"Investigation by Children's Aid Society? Gadget? For _what?_ " Quimby demanded after he had recovered from his initial shock. He was standing in his office, where the sergeant on duty briefly explained how his brother, who worked for CAS, had gotten wind of the complaint and had brought it to the sergeant's attention.

"I don't know, sir, but we wanted to let you know what was going on."

"You know that technically you and your brother violated confidentiality, right? We don't have any authority over CAS."

The sergeant fidgeted a bit before straightening. "I know, sir, and I recognize that. But the thing is...well, we're all fond of Penny. And as much as Gadget drives us crazy on a daily basis, we know he's got a lot of enemies. Something about this just doesn't smell right."

"That I'll agree with," said Quimby as he rubbed his eyes, desperately wishing he had his pipe on hand.

"Maybe there's just some big misunderstanding?" the sergeant offered helpfully.

"Maybe," growled Quimby. "Thank you," he said shortly. "Keep this under wraps as much as you can. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." His assistant saluted Quimby before leaving the office.

Quimby sat back in his desk chair, the familiar leather creaking. He rubbed tiredly at his eyes.

Gadget, suspected of child endangerment? It was utterly absurd. No matter how infuriating Gadget could be, he was devoted to his niece - that was as clear as day to anyone who saw the two together. And Penny clearly adored her uncle. Quimby had known Penny since she had been very small and had first come into Gadget's care - she was a smart and independent girl and surely would have spoken up if she was unhappy.

Or would she?

No, Quimby thought. That was absurd. He had known Gadget for years, ever since he had joined the Metro PD as a promising young patrolman. Inspector John Brown had been one of his finest and most promising officers.

And then there had been the "Accident".

As far as Quimby was concerned John Brown had died on that operating table, leaving behind a half-wrecked man that he could only bring to call "Gadget."

 _Damn,_ Quimby thought. _Damn damn damn._

"So much for some down time," he grumbled, leaning forwards to grab his phone.

It was time for him to call in some favors he was owed.

* * *

" _This is Channel Five news, bringing you the latest events. Coming up, members of the Metro City PD were involved in a joint task force with the United States FBI in Boston, Massachusetts. Among them were Inspector Gadget…"_

Gadget and Penny were sitting on the sofa in the den, watching the news anchor describe the weeks-long operation. A small bowl of popcorn was on the table between them, Brain curled up contentedly by their feet.

"I'm really proud of you, Uncle Gadget," said Penny. "Did you know you were going to be on the news?"

Gadget sat up a bit straighter at his niece's praise. "Not at all, Penny. Chief Quimby was right - it certainly was a surprise!"

As they continued watching the news Penny glanced at Gadget's arm that was stretched across the back of the sofa. She thought back to what Professor Von Slickstein had said and gently tugged Gadget's arm down and pulled his hand, still gloveless, towards her.

"Penny?" Gadget asked in confusion as his niece wrapped her hands around his own.

"Is it any better, Uncle?" asked Penny, looking up at Gadget in concern. "Can you feel this?"

Gadget looked down at their hands. Penny's small, slender hands looked even smaller against his own hand. He suddenly remembered how he had accidentally crushed the steel safety bar in the shower and fought the urge to pull away.

"Uncle Gadget?"

"Er, yes, I can feel that," he said. It was true - he could slowly feel touch seeping back into his fingers - it reminded him of a limb waking up with pins and needles after having fallen asleep.

Penny, perceptive as always, noticed Gadget's uneasiness and smiled up at him. "It's okay, Uncle. You won't hurt me. See?"

Gadget hesitated for another moment and then turned his hand over so his palm was resting against Penny's. He carefully laced his long fingers through Penny's tiny ones and gave a very gentle squeeze.

Penny beamed at him before turning back to the television, resting her head against Gadget's shoulder.

Feeling his tension ease somewhat, they watched TV for another hour before Penny reluctantly got up.

"I need to finish some homework before tomorrow. Good night, Uncle Gadget." She gently held Gadget's head still so that she could kiss his brow just as her uncle had done earlier.

"I really do think you're amazing," she said gently.

Gadget blushed and spluttered a bit even as he attempted to appear unaffected. "Well, I always get my man in the end."

Laughing, Penny kissed his forehead again. Gadget was tall enough that even with him sitting and her standing they were still at eye level with each other.

"I know you do, Uncle," she said. "Good night."

"Good night, Penny."

* * *

_20 February 1986_

The following week was busy despite Gadget having two weeks off. He had quite a lot of paperwork to catch up on as well as several errands around the house, including getting the Gadgetmobile serviced.

Penny was just as busy; her school work wasn't getting any lighter and the high number of teachers out with the flu meant that she and the other students were given even more homework each night to make up for the teachers' absences. The weather continued to be wet, icy, and miserable and she was glad to come home each evening and curl up with a mug of hot chocolate that her uncle had ready for her.

Thursday morning was particularly nasty. Rain and sleet pelted the windows and Gadget frowned as he eyed the weather critically through their kitchen window. "I'll drop you off at school today, Penny," he said. "I need to go into the station to finish some paperwork and I don't want you out in this weather too long."

Penny nodded as she rinsed her dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. "Okay, Uncle. I'm ready to go when you are."

"Excellent! Let's go, then. Bye, Brain!"

After dropping his niece off Gadget had just pulled into the parking lot of the Metro PD central station when his cell phone rang. He turned off the car and pressed the answer key. "Hello?"

"Inspector Gadget?"

"Speaking."

"Inspector, this is Principal Strazinsky. Would you be free to stop by after classes today for a brief meeting?"

"Of course," said Gadget. "What time? Is anything wrong? Is Penny alright?"

The principal hesitated before speaking. "Er, no. Penny's just fine. I just thought it best that I speak with you in person. How does four thirty sound?"

"That's fine. I'll be there."

"Thank you, Inspector. Good day."

After ending the call Gadget frowned at the phone, suddenly feeling uneasy. The principal had said that Penny was fine, so why would he want to see him in person?

Shrugging, Gadget got out of the car and headed inside to confront a mountain of paperwork.

* * *

Principal Strazinsky was accustomed to dealing with all sorts of parents, but he had to admit that one parent was particularly stress-inducing.

Ironically enough, said parent was also the guardian of one of the school's best pupils.

As he waited in his office with his assistant principal a commotion in the hallway outside of his office made them both wince. There was a sudden crash followed by a cheerful voice shouting out, "sorry about that, didn't see you there!" and he exchanged a weary look with his assistant principal. They really should move any and all breakable items out of the hallways if Inspector John "Gadget" Brown was going to keep visiting.

Fortunately the man's job kept him at bay for most of the school year, but this particular meeting couldn't be avoided.

There was a knock at his door and his harried-looking secretary came in. "Inspector Gadget, sir," she said. The woman glared as Gadget walked past her, blissfully unaware of the woman's ire. Strazinsky could see a large coffee stain on the front of her shirt and guessed the earlier crash had caused it.

"Thank you, Ms. Spencer," he told his secretary. The woman shot Gadget one last glare before shutting the door a bit harder than necessary.

"Hello again, Inspector Gadget," said Strazinsky as he extended, wincing at the enthusiastic handshake. "You remember Mrs. Devereaux, my assistant principal?"

"Ma'am," said Gadget, tipping his hat to the woman before turning back to Strazinsky.

"Please, have a seat, Inspector. I wanted to meet with you about your niece, Penny. Has she talked to you about school lately?"

"Well, not really. She did mention that she has quite a bit of homework of late, but that's all. Why do you ask?"

Mrs. Devereaux exchanged a look with her boss before clearing her throat. "One of Penny's teachers has expressed some concerns that we think you should be aware of."

"Concerns? She's not in trouble, I hope?"

"No, nothing like that," she said. "All of her teachers note that Penny is respectful and hard-working in class. But this specific teacher - who must remain anonymous, you understand - brought some concerns to light."

"Like what?"

"She's seemed distracted these past few weeks, as well as much quieter. And well…" Mrs. Devereaux looked at Strazinsky, who smoothly took over.

"We must notify you that, as Penny's legal guardian, our school district has received a complaint from CAS. Concerns have been expressed about Penny's welfare at home."

Gadget scoffed, clearly unconcerned. "Welfare? Don't be ridiculous - Penny's just fine."

"Inspector, with respect, I don't think you recognize the seriousness of this matter," Strazinsky continued. "Our school is legally required to cooperate with CAS' inquiries. We wanted to see you in person so that you were aware of these allegations and could respond accordingly."

The principal's grave tone finally seemed to get through to Gadget, who leaned back in his chair, for once completely lost for words.

"Does Penny know about this?" he asked after a moment of uncomfortable silence, for once sounding completely serious.

"Not yet," Mrs. Devereaux responded. "That's another reason we wanted to speak with you, sir. Penny is an excellent student and well-liked by all her teachers. We'd hate for her to find out about this through gossip or rumors. You might want to talk to her."

"Yes, of course, you're right," said Gadget. "Thank you for letting me know. Please, try to keep this from spreading in the school. Penny doesn't need to worry about this - she's been busy enough with all of her homework."

"Of course, Inspector," said Strasinsky, standing to see Gadget out. "We'll do everything we can. Goodbye."

After the inspector had gone Strazinsky turned to Mrs. Devereaux. "What do you think, Julia? Is this something we need to worry about?"

His assistant principal bit her lip before shaking her head. "No," she said slowly. "I know Inspector Gadget is a bit…er, unusual, but all he seemed concerned about was Penny. He didn't even seem bothered how this could affect his reputation. That's a true parent right there - putting their children first."

Strazinsky nodded. "I hope you're right, Julia, because if the media gets wind of this, it'll be an absolute nightmare."

* * *

_Earlier that week…_

_17 February 1986_

Mrs. Johnson shifted uncomfortably in the thick leather seat in the lawyer's office. She had notified the school authorities of her concerns regarding Penny Brown's home environment but they didn't seem inclined to do much.

Calling CAS had been her next step. She was determined to get Penny away from her uncle - if no one else would speak up for the girl, then she would. Her sister-in-law had managed to get her in to see the city's best private lawyer and she had spent the past hour detailing her concerns to the man, Dave Bernardino.

"Anything else?" said Bernardino after she had finished speaking. Mrs. Johnson resisted the urge to fidget again. She had the distinct impression that she was being laughed at.

"Well, she mentioned that she was left alone for several weeks, and an unsafe living environment. I've already notified CAS," she added after a moment, "but you know how these things go. They have such a high case load and, well...your firm specializes in family law, and…" she trailed off.

"I see. Thank you, Mrs. Johnson. It was very brave of you to come forward with these concerns," the lawyer said with a smile. She was suddenly reminded of a snake.

"Er, yes, of course - just doing my due diligence," she added, trying to sound officious.

"Indeed. I'll be in touch. Good day, Mrs. Johnson."

Recognizing that she had been dismissed, Mrs. Johnson nodded, gathered up her purse, and walked out.

Once out of the building she took a deep breath, suddenly feeling proud of herself. Her whole life she had been looked down on for being a substitute and not a "real" teacher, but all that was about to change.

She'd show Metro City the truth about their local "hero" and how she had been the only one brave enough to speak up in defense of a poor, helpless girl. Maybe, she thought giddily, they'd even put her on the news. They did specials like that all the time, didn't they?

Yes, she'd show them all, Mrs. Johnson thought to herself.

* * *

_Quimby Residence_

_19 February 1986_

Mrs. George Quimby, or "Edith" to her family and friends, had learned many things over the years from being the wife of a police officer. One of them was the ability to discern when to let sleeping dogs lie, and when to encourage her husband to share some of the burden of being a policeman.

"Alright, what is it?" Edith said, setting down her book and gazing calmly at her husband.

Quimby frowned over the edge of his paper, cold pipe clenched between his teeth. "What's what?"

"Don't give me that look, George. I know you – you've been staring at the same page for an hour now. What's wrong?" She paused for a moment and then added in a softer tone, "Did something happen with work?"

"Yes…no, oh hell…" Quimby threw his paper down in frustration as nearly a week's worth of stress and worry suddenly boiled over.

He told his wife everything – the investigation by CAS, his own doubts about Gadget's ability to be a parent, his guilt over forgetting that Gadget was still a man, his own sense of helplessness at the situation - everything.

"It's a ugly business and about to blow up in our faces, Edie," said Quimby after he had finished. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his forehead. "I've been calling in every favor I can think of to keep this from leaking to the news but I can't keep CAS from investigating a legitimate concern."

Edith had listened in silence the whole time and finally spoke. "George, you've seen so many horrible things over the years, and you know I trust your judgement, but ask yourself…do you _truly_ believe Gadget isn't suited to be Penny's guardian?"

"I don't know, Edie," said Quimby. He sighed and rested his elbows on his knees, hands clasped between them. "If you had asked me if John Brown would be a suitable guardian for his niece, I would have said 'yes' in a heartbeat. But Gadget...well, that's a different story."

"They're still the same man, George," his wife admonished gently.

"Are they?" said Quimby. "Sometimes I wonder…" he shook his head. "I don't know what to do. And damn it all…Gadget's a good man. Don't ever tell him I said so," he added, wagging a finger at his wife. "Otherwise the fool will never let me hear the end of it."

Edie reached forward and covered her husband's hand with her own. Her dark eyes were gentle as she gave her husband an encouraging smile. "Maybe he needs to hear that, George."

* * *

_21 February 1986_

Penny was utterly relieved that it was Friday. She had been fighting back a nasty headache all day and had felt exhausted all week no matter how much sleep she got, or tried to get.

And to make matters worse, Mrs. Johnson would not leave her alone. Even though her regular algebra teacher was back from sick leave the woman seemed to be following Penny around school, almost as if she were spying on Penny. It was starting to deeply unnerve the girl. She had done her best to avoid Mrs. Johnson all week but finally the teacher managed to catch Penny at the end of her last period.

"Ah, Penny! I've been meaning to speak with you all week. You're quite hard to catch," said the woman. Before Penny could protest Mrs. Johnson had herded Penny back into a classroom, closing the door behind them.

Penny suddenly felt trapped and fought the urge to dash out the door. Her headache was getting worse and she shivered, suddenly desperately wishing she were home.

"Mrs. Johnson, I'm very sorry but I can't talk right now. I need to catch the bus before it leaves."

The older woman smiled and stepped forward to put an arm around Penny's shoulders, unaware of how the girl tensed up at the gesture. "It's all going to be fine now, Penny dear."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

"My dear, I know this is a difficult subject but I decided to do the right thing since no one else seems to be willing to do so."

When Penny continued to stare in confusion at her Mrs. Johnson continued. "CAS knows the truth about your home situation with your uncle. They're taking care of it."

"You contacted CAS?" Penny exclaimed as she recoiled away from Mrs. Johnson, barely able to keep her voice down. "Why would you _do_ that?"

"Penny, dear, you're clearly living in an unsuitable environment…" Mrs. Johnson stepped forward again but stopped when Penny backed away.

"Stay away from me," she said, her voice trembling with anger. "You don't know anything about me, or my uncle. _Nothing,_ " she added, keeping her tone low and calm but inwardly shaking with fury.

"I know that having a machine raise a young girl by himself is inappropriate. It's not _natural,_ Penny-"

"My uncle is a good man - the best - and I'm not going to stand here and listen to you say these ugly things. Now please, excuse me."

Mouth gaping open, Mrs. Johnson numbly stepped aside as Penny pushed past her and dashed out the door.

* * *

Penny hurried out of the classroom, nearly running down the hall and not stopping until she reached the girl's bathroom. Fighting back tears, she leaned against the wall, her face buried in her arms.

Why was everyone suddenly trying to take away the only family she had left?

She felt a hand on her shoulder followed by a voice. "Penny, are you okay…" and she reeled backwards.

"Go away-!"

"Woah, hey, it's just me, Penny!" Meg's concerned, freckled face came into view.

"Oh...gosh, I'm sorry Meg," said Penny, straightening and wiping quickly at her face. She had knocked Meg's books and papers out of her arms but her friend didn't seem to care.

"I didn't see you at the bus stop so I came back to look for you. I've been looking everywhere...whoa, you _don't_ look okay. You're really pale - like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm fine," said Penny, unwilling to explain what had just happened.

She bent to help pick up the papers but suddenly the room was spinning...she felt hot and freezing cold all at once….she swayed and stretched out a hand to steady herself, leaning heavily against the wall.

"...Penny? Hey, Penny! Are you okay- _Penny!_ " Meg's panicked voice seemed to be coming from very far away.

Penny didn't get a chance to answer as her vision went black and she slid from the wall to the floor.

* * *

_Metro City PD Central Station_

_21 February 1986_

The police force of Metro City had long ago decided that "bull in a china shop" was an understatement when it came to Inspector Gadget.

The more seasoned officers had grown accustomed to dodging extended bionic arms, legs, and even Gadget's neck as they moved about the central room. Gadget didn't often spend much time at the station but when he did it was like having a miniature obstacle course in the central workroom.

"Inspector Gadget?" said a young patrolman, poking his head into the main work area.

"Yes?" Gadget looked up from where he had been waging a silent battle with his printer, which had jammed when he had attempted to print a report.

"Telephone for you, sir," said the patrolman.

"Take a message for me, will you?" the inspector grunted, still preoccupied with trying to free his half-printed report.

"Sir, it's your niece's school. They want you to come down immediately." The young man paused and then added, "Your niece is ill - they said she collapsed in the hallway after her last class."

It was like a switch had been flipped. Gadget stood up so quickly that his desk chair flew back into the wall with enough force that it cracked the plaster.

"What? Where is she? Is she alright?"

"I don't know, Inspector," gulped the young man. "They just asked that you come down immediately."

Gadget didn't answer. Moving faster than anyone had ever seen him, the inspector rushed out the door. Several of his coworkers exchanged worried glances with each other. While many of them found Gadget exasperating on the best of days, they were all very fond of Penny and hoped she was alright.

"Heard the flu's bad this year," one of the detectives muttered after a moment of uneasy silence. "Poor kid - hope she's okay," he added gruffly before returning to his typing.

Quimby turned to his secretary. "I'm going with Gadget - I'd better drive to make sure the fool doesn't kill himself trying to get to the hospital."

* * *

_Metro City Central Hospital_

_21 February 1986_

Quimby watched as Gadget paced restlessly outside of Penny's room. The on-duty nurse had assured both men that Penny wasn't in any danger - she had the flu, most likely - and that the doctor would be down as soon as he had finished his rounds. They couldn't go in just yet, she explained, but they were welcome to wait outside her room.

They had been waiting nearly an hour and Penny was still asleep. And Gadget...the poor man looked so distraught that Quimby was seriously considering asking the nursing staff to sedate him. Seeing Penny hooked up to an IV drip had shaken the resolute chief more than he cared to admit; he couldn't imagine how Gadget must be feeling.

Finally they heard quick footsteps and looked up to see a harried young man walking towards them. Judging from the kid's age Quimby guessed this was the resident on-call.

"I'm Dr. Wyatt," the young man said without preamble. He pulled out a clipboard and squinted at it. "You're family, I'm assuming?" he asked shortly as he jotted down some notes.

"Yes, I'm her uncle," said Gadget, his eyes never leaving Penny.

The doctor looked up from his clipboard, eyebrows raised over his glasses as he eyed Gadget skeptically. "Huh," he muttered, scribbling something on his clipboard.

Quimby scowled. "Well, how is she?"

"Who?" said Dr. Wyatt, a bit impatiently as he continued to write.

"For the love of...Penny! How is she?"

Something in Quimby's tone clearly caught the young man's attention because he jumped (Quimby smirked, he still had it in him to make young whippersnappers pay attention) and finally lowered his clipboard.

"Oh! Er, right, yes - sorry. Ah, yes, Penny Brown," he said, casting an apprehensive glance at Quimby before turning to Gadget.

"Her test came back positive for influenza. There's a lot of that going around right now - the weather isn't helping either."

He paused and when Gadget didn't say anything Dr. Wyatt continued. "She most likely collapsed due to dehydration. That's why we have her on a drip right now."

"Will she be alright?" said Gadget, speaking for the first time since entering the hospital and finally looking at the doctor.

Wyatt nodded. "I know it's alarming to see your niece like this, Inspector," he said in a much gentler tone than before. "Kids her age tend to fall quick and hard with viruses like the flu, but they also bounce back much faster than adults."

"Can I take her home?"

"Not right now, but perhaps tomorrow or even tonight once we've gotten some fluids into her," he said. "She doesn't really need to stay here and we'd actually prefer that she recover at home so as to avoid spreading the flu in the hospital. Plus we don't have a dedicated pediatric wing here. If she can eat something and finish off that IV bag then she can go home with you tonight."

Gadget nodded. "Can I…?" he asked, nodding towards Penny's bed.

Dr. Wyatt's expression softened. "Yes, of course. You can stay with her and see if she'll eat something. I'm going to put in some prescriptions that should help with the fever and coughing."

"Thank you," said Quimby, his opinion of the young doctor growing somewhat. Wyatt nodded and scribbled some more notes on his clipboard.

"I'll write a note for her school - a week at home with plenty of rest, fluid, and hot food and she'll be good as new, you'll see."

The doctor's words didn't seem to reassure Gadget. He simply nodded again and went to sit in the chair by Penny's bedside.

Quimby watched as Gadget dropped his face into his hand and stepped into the room. He clapped Gadget on the shoulder and kept his hand there.

"She's going to be fine, Gadget," he said firmly. "Kids get sick but she'll bounce back just like the doctor said."

"I didn't know she was ill," said Gadget, finally raising his head to look at Quimby, his normally confident expression gone. "Her principal called me yesterday - he said CAS was investigating some sort of complaint against me."

Quimby nodded. "I heard," he said simply. "Listen, Gadget...John…we'll fix this. Just focus on your niece. That's an order."

Gadget nodded and then snapped his head back towards the bed when Penny began stirring.

"Penny?" he said anxiously, leaning forward in the chair. "Sweetheart, can you hear me?"

"I'll grab some coffee," said Quimby, stepping out to give them some privacy.

* * *

After Quimby had gone Gadget got out of the too-small chair and carefully sat next to Penny on the bed.

"Penny?" he tried again, leaning forward to brush her mussed hair out of her face.

"Uncle…?" the girl rasped hoarsely, blinking her eyes open.

"I'm right here, Penny."

"Uncle...they're going to take you away…" Penny said, looking more aware but still horribly pale.

"How did you…"

"A teacher at school...she told me she called CAS...they're going to take me away…"

Gadget stiffened and then fought back a rush of anger at whoever had told Penny about the CAS investigation. But that could wait - he had more important things to worry about.

Gadget carefully pulled Penny into his arms, one arm wrapped around her back, his other hand stroking the girl's sweat-dampened hair. He could feel heat radiating off of her slender frame, and the fact that he could so easily discern how hot she was made his gut clench with worry.

"Nonsense, Penny, no one's going to take you away," he said, his voice full of his usual confidence.

Penny nodded and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder and neck. "Promise?" she murmured.

Cool lips pressed against her brow and she closed her eyes at the comforting touch. "I promise. And you know Inspector Gadget never breaks a promise!"

Penny nodded, fighting to keep her eyes open. She felt her uncle's fingers carefully smooth her mussed hair.

"Go to sleep," Gadget murmured against her temple. She felt him rest his cheek against her head and finally allowed herself to drift off.

He continued to hold Penny long after she had fallen asleep again.

* * *

_Later that evening…_

Penny felt awful. Her uncle had been given two weeks off and now he was stuck at home because she had caught the flu. She was utterly embarrassed that she had fainted in school and had worried her uncle so badly. It was a bit ironic, really - she had survived M.A.D. agents for years only to have the flu take her down.

Dr. Wyatt had agreed to release Penny earlier that night and it was nearly nine o'clock by the time they got home. Gadget had run by the pharmacy earlier and carefully guided Penny through the foyer and towards the den.

"Hi, Brain," the girl said with a tired smile as their faithful dog came skidding to a stop in front of them, whining anxiously. When Penny and Gadget hadn't come home at their usual times Brain had been half-mad with worry.

"I'm fine, Brain, really," said Penny, stroking the dog's head.

"Go lie down, Penny," said Gadget as he hung up his hat and coat, setting the pharmacy bag on the kitchen counter. "I'll make you some tea."

She nodded and made it halfway towards the den (she didn't think she could manage the stairs just yet) before the room began to spin.

"Penny!" Gadget's hands caught Penny's shoulders as the girl leaned against the wall, her face growing paler.

"I'm fine," she murmured, swaying and then closing her eyes against a sudden wave of nausea.

"No, you're not," said Gadget with uncharacteristic firmness. Penny suddenly felt her feet leave the floor as Gadget scooped her up into his arms, holding her as though she weighed nothing. Penny let out a muffled squeak of surprise at the sudden movement. Sometimes she forgot just how strong her uncle was - he had lifted her with such easy strength that she barely felt jostled.

"Uncle, I can walk," she protested even as she instinctively relaxed in Gadget' arms, her head resting against his shoulder. "You don't have to…"

"Yes, I do," said Gadget as he carried her towards the den, stopping next to the sofa. He didn't set her down immediately though and Penny tipped her head back against his shoulder to better see his face.

Gadget looked tired and haggard and Penny felt a fresh surge of guilt for making him worry.

"Uncle Gadget, are you okay?"

To her surprise her uncle winced and looked away for a moment before looking back at his niece. He suddenly looked uncertain and hesitant and almost...vulnerable.

"Yes, I mean no, I mean..." said Gadget, struggling to find words. "Penny, I…" he sighed as he struggled to find the words.

"You shouldn't worry so much about me," he finally said. Penny looked as though she were about to speak but Gadget's hat hand suddenly emerged and pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her. "Let me finish. I mean, that's my job - taking care of you. So you just worry about getting better."

Penny gazed at him in confusion, her normally bright blue-green eyes hazy with fever. She was also shivering slightly - her fever was climbing back up - and Gadget held her closer, suddenly hating that his bionic frame was cooler than that of a regular human body.

"Kay," Penny murmured after a moment, closing her eyes.

Gadget carefully settled his niece onto the sofa, covering her with several blankets when he noticed that she was shivering in earnest now.

Penny quickly fell into a restless sleep and Gadget sat by her side, hoping she would settle. He gazed at his niece's face for a long time, suddenly feeling as uncertain and lost as he had when Penny had first come into his care.

Gadget knew, deep in the part of his mind that was still whole and untouched from the intensive reconstructive surgeries that had turned him into the world's first cyborg, that he wasn't the same man he was before the accident.

Penny had never once complained or showed any signs that she was unhappy in his care, but now Gadget was wondering if his kind-hearted niece had simply been trying to spare his feelings all these years.

He didn't truly think that was the case (or maybe he just didn't want to), but now he wasn't so sure. And he was very rarely unsure about anything. He had thought he was doing a rather good job of being a parent to such a remarkable, lovely girl but now he wasn't so certain.

One thing _was_ certain in Gadget's mind - Penny's happiness and safety were paramount. From the moment she had first come into his care after losing her parents in a car crash Gadget had silently promised himself that nothing would hurt her ever again.

He had thought that keeping a bit of distance between them was for the best - that if he always appeared to be perfect that his less...human attributes wouldn't be as noticeable. Gadget remembered with a pang Penny's question about why he had never held her and the guilt was tearing him up inside. He couldn't bear the thought of inadvertently hurting his niece but it seemed he had done so anyway.

Penny stirred a bit and Gadget stroked her forehead until she settled again. He began to draw his hand back but paused, glancing at his glove. He hesitated for a moment before slipping the leather off, followed by his other one.

Von Slickstein had suggested that Gadget practice experiencing touch to allow the nerve sensors to "relearn" how to feel. And his niece had said as much as well.

The inspector hesitated for another moment before carefully resting his fingertips against Penny's warm cheek.

For a second he felt nothing and then there was the sensation of warmth (a bit too much warmth - Penny's fever was still too high) and softness under his fingers.

Gadget carefully cupped his niece's face, stroking his thumb across a bright fever spot on her cheekbone. Penny murmured something and leaned into his touch but didn't wake.

Sighing, Gadget reluctantly went into the kitchen to make himself some coffee and sort through the medicine. After he had finished those tasks he returned to the den, sitting at his desk to sort through the mail. Sure enough there was a letter from CAS in the stack and he resisted the urge to burn it outright.

A whine made him look over towards the sofa. Brain was curled up on the rug by the sofa, his forlorn gaze locked on Penny. His niece slept restlessly for another hour before she woke again, groaning as she coughed harshly.

"Well, look who's up!" said Gadget, attempting to keep a cheerful tone as he sat on the sofa's edge. Penny's face was very pale except for the twin fever stripes standing high on her cheek bones.

"Wha...what time is it?" she croaked.

Wincing at the sound, Gadget handed his niece a glass of water he had fetched earlier just in case she wanted it. "About eleven," he said. "Are you hungry?"

Penny shook her head and Gadget smiled and patted her hand, hiding his growing worry. If Penny's fever didn't go down soon he'd have to take her back to the hospital.

"No matter," he said. "Try to get some more sleep." He squeezed Penny's warm, sweaty hand and his niece didn't seem inclined to let go so he didn't either.

"Hate being sick," the girl mumbled, clearly miserable as she tossed and turned restlessly.

"I know," Gadget said, wincing in sympathy as Penny coughed and groaned at the pain in her chest. He squeezed Penny's hand again and when he saw moisture in her eyes from coughing Gadget lifted her hand, kissing the back of it.

"It's alright," he murmured as the fit continued, once again forgetting about his own aversion towards physical affection in the face of his niece's pain. When the coughing finally stopped Penny's face was wet with tears that she simply didn't have the strength to hide.

Gadget couldn't stand it anymore. He slid onto the sofa behind Penny, pulling the girl to rest back against his chest so that she could breathe easier. "It's okay," he murmured, stroking her hair in the same way he had done on his first morning back home. "Just take deep breaths now...that's it."

Penny didn't have breath to answer - she simply nodded and sagged against the solid support behind her. Gadget kept stroking her hair with one hand, his other arm wrapped lightly but securely around Penny's shoulders so that she didn't have to worry about holding herself up.

"Sorry, I'm being such a baby," she whispered hoarsely, pressing her face into Gadget's chest. Part of her felt embarrassed about being held like a small child, and yet another part of her was desperate for the comforting touch.

The inspector rocked her slightly, resting his chin on top of Penny's head. "Nonsense, you're sick. Everyone's allowed to be miserable when they're sick!"

Penny managed a smile. "Even the world's greatest inspector?"

"Even him."

Penny managed a weak laugh that faded into a few short coughs, though not nearly as bad as before. She felt herself start to slip down the couch a bit but she had barely begun to move when strong hands carefully tugged at her shoulders, pulling her back up so that her back was flush against Gadget's chest.

"Try to get some more sleep," Gadget said after a few minutes of comfortable silence. Penny nodded, watching through heavy eyes as Gadget clicked the TV on, keeping the sound low. He shifted a bit, trying to stretch his long legs out without jostling Penny, and she was able to move enough to give him some room.

Once settled Gadget leaned back against the arm of the sofa, keeping his niece safely elevated against his chest so she could breathe easier. He brought his knees up a bit to give Penny some additional support so she wouldn't roll too close to the sofa's edge in her sleep.

Safely bracketed by her uncle's protective embrace, Penny let the tension she had been carrying for weeks seep out of her muscles. They stayed like that for a long time and eventually Penny's breathing segued into the deep, even breaths of near-sleep.

"Uncle Gadget?" she asked softly.

"Yes, Penny?" said the inspector, looking down at his niece. His eyes shone in the dim light with a faint artificial light - part of the implants for his binocular vision - but the warmth never left them.

"CAS...the complaint...what's going to happen?"

"That? Why, nothing, Penny. It's all a big misunderstanding, you'll see."

"But…"

"No 'buts'," Gadget said firmly. "Everything will be fine." As he spoke he took hold of her hand again, emphasizing each word with a kiss against the backs of her fingers with such tender gentleness that it brought fresh tears to her eyes. How could anyone think her uncle was dangerous, or just a machine with no human feelings?

She nodded and smiled, determined not to cry and worry her uncle any further. Gadget squeezed her hand gently before continuing, "I promise everything will be fine, Penny," he repeated.

"All you need -" a kiss to her knuckles - "to worry about-" he brushed his lips against Penny's fingertips, making her giggle at the tickling sensation, "is getting better," he finished with a kiss to her forehead.

"Okay," said Penny, this time falling into a much deeper, dreamless sleep.

* * *

_Metro City PD Central Station_

_22 February 1986_

It was yet another miserable, wet Saturday - would winter _never_ end? - and Quimby had holed himself up in his office, resolutely trying to find a (legal) way to convince CAS that the complaint against Gadget was completely baseless.

His phone rang and he snatched it up.

"Quimby here."

"Chief Quimby?" said a voice with a distinct Bostonian accent.

Quimby straightened; he recognized that voice. "This is Chief Quimby speaking. Who's this?"

"Sir, this is Agent Donovan - I was on the task force in Boston."

"Yes, what can I do for you?"

"One of the men from the smuggling ring is missing," Donovan said without preamble. "My supervisor asked that I notify you immediately."

Quimby dropped his pen onto his desk, ignoring how ink splattered across his shirt. "What do you mean missing?"

"He's escaped, sir. It happened en route from Boston to Ontario. We're still investigating what went wrong during the transport but that's not why I'm calling."

"Go on," said Quimby, his policeman's instincts starting to scream internally.

"We've had some tips from the public come in. The suspect was last sighted near the Canadian border…"

"And you think he's going after Gadget?"

"Got it in one, sir."

"Right, thanks. I'll be in touch."

Quimby hung up the phone. "Damn," he said.


	3. Lies and Spies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Ch. 3 is finally here! I’m so sorry for the delay - I freely admit to being a slow writer because I’m such a perfectionist at heart. I’m hoping this latest chapter was worth the wait and that I can get Ch. 4 knocked out later this week since it’s Spring Break where I’m at. One reason this update took longer than normal was because I got stuck on the plot but now I have everything worked out and where to take it from here. One more chapter to go and then we’ll be done.
> 
> Also, just a quick word of caution - there’s a scene in here that involves discussion of menarche and all the awkwardness that entails. I was raised mainly by my dad and grew up with brothers and uncles all over the place, so I know it can be a bit awkward to live under the same roof when you’re the only girl in a house full of males, lol.

_ Buffalo, New York, U.S.A. _

_ 22 February 1986 _

_ 30 miles from the U.S./Canadian border... _

Agent Donovan finished his call with Chief Quimby and tucked his phone back into his pocket. A cold wind picked up and he tugged the collar of his coat up further. It was a clear, sunny morning but the sunlight did nothing to abate the chill in his blood as he studied the crime scene in front of him.

The sun glinted off of scraps of metal and twisted pieces of steel, tires, and torn up asphalt that littered the field near the highway in a path of destruction for nearly half a mile. It was all that remained of the armored truck that had been transporting the lone prisoner from Boston to Toronto. The driver was dead, his neck snapped, and Donovan couldn’t understand why one prisoner had been paired with only one guard. It didn’t make any sense.

“Holy hell, it looks like a tornado blew through here,” muttered his partner, Agent Angela Russo. 

Donovan nodded as he watched the crime scene technicians comb out over the field. “You feel like there’s more to this, Angie?” he asked.

“What do you mean, Mike?”   
  
Donovan shrugged. “Call it a feeling, but none of this seems right. It’s not SOP for there to be only one guard transporting a prisoner, especially a felon. How did he escape? What happened to the truck? And why weren’t there more guards?”   
  
Russo’s sharp green eyes narrowed. “You thinking this was an inside job?” she asked. One of the technicians was waving to them and they started walking towards him.

Donovan nodded. “That’s why I called Chief Quimby. There’s too many ‘what ifs’ and I think Inspector Gadget needs to know about this, especially if the fugitive is after him.”

“What would anyone, even a criminal, want with that idiot?” Russo said scornfully.

“Hey!” said Donovan, stopping up short and giving his partner a reproachful look. “That ‘idiot’ saved both our lives, and Agent Davis’ too! Give the man some respect, Angie.”   
  
Russo sniffed but let the subject drop as a technician came up to them. He was holding a twisted piece of metal that looked like it had once been the truck door. 

“It really does look like a tornado blew through here,” said Donovan, shaking his head as he surveyed the destruction.

“There weren’t any storms in this area the past week,” said one of the Canadian border patrol agents.

“No wind did this,” said the technician, gesturing towards the piece of metal he held.

Donovan blinked. “How d’you figure?”   
  
“Look at this.” The technician spread his hand and rested his fingers along several dents that ran parallel to each other. They lined up perfectly in the shape of a hand.

Donovan and Russo stared in shock. The border patrol agent’s jaw dropped open.

“You’re saying the prisoner did this?” said Donovan after a moment.   
  
“Bull,” snapped another border patrol agent who had joined them. “No man can do that.”   
  
“No normal man,” said Donovan, suddenly remembering how easily Inspector Gadget had pushed aside a speeding truck during the raid in Boston, thus saving him, Russo, and Davis from being run over. Gadget had done so with almost no effort, the truck bouncing off of the inspector like a rubber ball.   
  
Russo’s eyes widened. “You’re saying we got another cyborg out there on the run? Like Gadget?”   
  
Cursing silently, Donovan hurried to his rental car and climbed inside so that he could call his supervisor. He quickly explained the situation and his suspicions.

“Pack your bags, Donovan,” said his supervisor after a moment. “You’ve got a plane to catch.”

* * *

_ Metro City _

_ 22 February 1986 _

Penny slept through the night and Gadget had finally fallen asleep himself, exhausted, until he was woken in the early predawn hours to his niece struggling weakly in his arms.

Jolted awake, Gadget blinked and craned his neck out to look at the kitchen clock - 4:32 a.m. - before looking down at his niece.

She was still asleep but shifting restlessly, her face bathed in sweat. Gadget realized she was having a nightmare and instinctively held her closer so she wouldn’t hurt herself or fall off the sofa.

“Uncle...m’sorry...don’t send me away…” she was mumbling, her face distressed.

It had been a long time since Gadget had comforted his niece after a nightmare - not since she was five - but he still reacted the same, pulling her close and whispering reassurances in her ear. 

“Penny, sweetheart, wake up. You’re dreaming…”

Her next words nearly made Gadget’s heart stop.   
  
“W-wanted to keep you safe...don’t hate me...please…” 

“Wha...Penny, no!” Shocked, Gadget held Penny close, rocking her. “Hush,” he soothed, stroking her hair with a hand that shook. “I’m here. You’re safe...just sleep,” he repeated over and over again.

It seemed to help because gradually Penny calmed as grey light began to slowly filter through the window blinds.

Gadget continued to hold his niece long after her fever had broken and she had slipped into a deep sleep. Her shivering and sweat-soaked body felt incredibly fragile in his arms as he held her. 

The things she had cried out in her dreams...Gadget felt more deeply unnerved than he ever had in his life, even more than when he had first seen his hands turn into deadly weapons.

He had the horrible sense that he was missing something important, something to do with his niece that Penny didn’t want him to know about. But like with so many things in the years since becoming “Gadget” it was like trying to keep water dripping through his cupped hands.

Why would Penny - even in her dreams - think that he could ever hate her, or send her away? It was ludicrous, absolutely absurd.  _ Surely _ she knew how much he loved her? 

But then, it was rapidly becoming clear to Gadget that perhaps Penny  _ didn’t _ know that.

_ ‘Is that why you’ve never held me?’ _

He remembered with a fresh surge of guilt his niece’s words from last week. He had never meant to hurt her by keeping her at a distance. Maybe that CAS letter was right...maybe he wasn’t a good enough guardian for Penny.

_ No, _ he told himself firmly. They were family - they stuck together through thick and thin. Gadget would never abandon Penny, not if he could help it.

Gadget pulled his niece closer, cradling her head against the crook of his neck.

“You mean the world to me,” he murmured in the sleeping girl’s ear, somehow finding the words easier to say in the peaceful darkness and safety of their home. He knew it was cowardly to say them when Penny couldn’t hear them, but he hoped that by finally speaking them out loud he could at least start to make up for it.

* * *

_ Later that morning... _

Penny slowly became aware of two things. The first was that she had the unpleasant sensation of damp, sweat-soaked clothes clinging to her skin. The second was of a firm, steady weight behind her, holding her…   
  
“Uncle?” she murmured, blinking open her eyes and then wincing at the sunlight coming in through the blinds.

“Good morning,” Gadget murmured. A gentle hand came up to stroke Penny’s brow, brushing her damp hair out of her face. “How are you feeling?”

Her brow furrowed in thought. “Better,” she said after a moment. “Tired, but better.”   
  
Gadget nodded, his expression relieved. Penny suddenly realized that they were in the same position as last night with her laying against Gadget’s chest, his arms wrapped around her and legs tangled together.

“You were restless and wouldn’t settle,” he explained and Penny wondered what had happened to put such a haunted look on his face. There were dark shadows under his eyes and he looked haggard and worn. “I didn’t want you to hurt yourself.”   
  
She nodded, resting her head against Gadget’s shoulder while he took her temperature. 

“Just a bit higher than normal,” he said with a sigh of relief, setting the thermometer aside. 

“Do you think you can eat something?” he asked, drawing back to study his niece’s face. His fingers - still gloveless, Penny noted with some surprise - lingered against her jaw and cheek, tracing her skin with featherlight touches.   
  
Penny nodded. “Yes, but I think I need a shower first. I feel gross,” she added, wrinkling her nose at her sweat-damp clothes.

That finally got a smile out of her uncle, even if it was only a small one. “Alright then, up you get. Slowly,” he added. 

Penny nodded and Gadget sat up, carefully keeping his arms around her waist as he helped her stand. She wobbled a bit but steadied herself soon enough. She gave her uncle a reassuring smile before making her way slowly and carefully up the stairs. Brain followed close behind her to make sure she didn’t stumble on the way up. 

Gadget trailed after her, unwilling to let her out of his sight. “Are you sure you should be up, Penny?”

The girl nodded as she stepped into her room to grab her robe and some fresh clothes. “I’m fine Uncle Gadget, really,” she reassured him. In truth the trip up the stairs had left her winded but she did her best to hide it. Penny hated to see the worry in his face and hoped he had gotten at least some sleep last night. She headed towards the hall bathroom and stopped in front of the door.

“I think I can take it from here, Uncle,” she said, raising a brow as she gestured towards the bathroom.

She smiled gently as Gadget blinked and then blushed. “Oh! Er, right, of course, carry on,” he said. “I’ll go start breakfast,” he said before heading quickly back downstairs.

Penny looked down at Brain who was still watching her with worried eyes. 

“You too, Brain. Go help Uncle Gadget and make sure he doesn’t set off the fire alarm again,” she added, stroking the dog’s head.

Brain sniffed and shook his head but obediently went back downstairs. Once the dog was gone Penny shut the door to the bathroom and set her things down. She blanched as she got a good look at her reflection in the mirror. No wonder her uncle had been so worried. She looked  _ awful.  _

Her face was very pale and there were dark shadows under her eyes, emphasizing her cheekbones. She had always been slim but Penny was a bit alarmed to notice that the bones of her cheeks and collarbone were much more noticeable than they had been a few months ago.

She had grown taller over the past year but she was still rather small compared to some of the other girls at her school. Penny briefly wondered if her parents had been tall and angular like her uncle, or more like her - slender and petite. She didn’t have any pictures of them and had never asked her uncle. He didn’t like to talk about the past and Penny wondered if he even remembered her parents. All she knew was that he was her father’s younger brother.

Deciding it was best not to dwell on the past, she stepped into the shower, relieved to finally get the feeling of sickness off of her skin. She stayed under the hot water for a long time before getting back out.

Penny shifted uncomfortably as she combed through her freshly washed hair. Her muscles still felt stiff and sore despite the hot shower and she felt a bit nauseous despite having eaten next to nothing the past week. But then again, she reasoned, those were common symptoms of the flu.

She reached for her bathrobe and pulled it on, wincing as her stomach cramped painfully. Perhaps she should have eaten something first, even if the thought of food made her nauseous.

Another cramp nearly made her drop the comb. Setting it down with suddenly clammy hands, Penny wrapped an arm around her waist, gripping the edge of the sink with her other hand. She had never felt anything like that before.

Grimacing, she bit her lip and then looked down as she felt suddenly something warm on the inside of her thigh.

Blood.

She stared, watching with numb shock as another bead of blood slipped down her other leg.

Of course she knew what was happening - between her own research and the lectures in her health class at school Penny had been calmly preparing herself for this for a while now. But actually having it happen was a different thing altogether. 

But not now, when so many other things were going wrong!

“Oh no,” she moaned, wincing as the cramping continued. She didn’t think it would hurt this badly! She could feel a cold sweat breaking out along her forehead despite the warm steam that still lingered in the bathroom.

A sudden knock on the bathroom door made her jump.

“Penny, are you alright?” Gadget’s voice came through the door.

_ Oh no no no no, _ she thought, panicking. This was not happening!

“I’m f-fine, Uncle...oh, ow!” Penny gasped again, wincing as another cramp overcame her.

“Penny? Penny, I’m coming in,” said Gadget, his voice tight with worry. 

She hadn’t locked the door, she realized with horror. As much as Penny loved and trusted her uncle, the thought of him seeing her like this was mortifying.

Another cramp had Penny gasping, her shaking legs folding under her as she bit her lip hard to keep from crying out. She curled into a ball into the corner, knees pulled up to her chest, glad that at least she was wearing her robe that was long enough to preserve any dignity she had left.

* * *

Gadget froze on his way past the hall bathroom as his sharp hearing - far stronger than any human or even a dog’s - caught Penny’s gasp of pain.

“Penny, are you alright?” he asked as he stepped in front of the door and knocked but didn’t enter.

His niece’s voice trembled as she called back through the door. “I’m f-fine, Uncle...oh, ow!”

Gadget could hear the pain in his niece’s voice and he tried the knob, relieved that it wasn’t locked.

“Penny? Penny, I’m coming in,” he said. Worried that she had either slipped or was sick again, Gadget stepped inside the bathroom as his concern overrode propriety. 

At first he didn’t see anything amiss - nothing broken or knocked aside. And then he saw his niece curled in a ball on the floor by the sink. Her hair was still damp from the shower and she was wearing her robe, knees pulled up to her chest and her face buried in her knees.

Confused and rapidly fighting back his growing panic, Gadget stepped further into the bathroom and knelt next to his niece.

“Penny! What’s wrong? Did you slip in the bath?”   
  
The girl shook her head and to his shock pulled away when Gadget touched her shoulder. Penny had  _ never  _ recoiled from his touch before. Seeing her pull away from him hurt more than he was willing to admit.

“Uncle,” she gasped, fighting back tears of humiliation. “P-please go away.”

Gadget was utterly baffled. His niece didn’t seem hurt but she was clearly distraught and even worse didn’t seem to want him to touch her. But he couldn’t just leave her like this, huddled on the cold floor, shivering and shaking.

“Penny, talk to me - what’s the matter?” Gadget said firmly, his worry making his tone sharper than he meant it to be.

The rare sternness in his voice finally made Penny look up. Gadget was shocked to see how pale her face was.

“I…” Penny flushed and looked away again. Gadget suddenly noticed that she had her knees pressed tightly together, her arms wrapped under them to keep her robe tightly closed.

When he glanced at her feet to see if maybe she had stepped on something he froze when he saw bright scarlet drops splattered against her legs. There were only a few drops but the sight still made Gadget’s heartbeat ramp up with alarm.

“Penny, you’re bleeding!” he exclaimed. “What happened? Are you hurt? Where did that blood come...come from....oh.”

Realization dawned and he leaned back, feeling completely floored. He desperately wanted to make sure Penny wasn’t injured but another part of him was in complete shock at the physical evidence that his niece was growing up.   
  
He watched as Penny curled into an even smaller ball. “U-Uncle, please just go.” She sounded so wretched that Gadget forgot about his own embarrassment. His niece needed him and nothing would pull him from her side.

“Penny, can you look at me?” Gadget’s voice was hesitant and filled with concern and it was enough to make Penny raise her head a bit.

She didn’t see any signs of disgust in her uncle’s gaze, only worry, and she felt a tiny bit less humiliated.

“Are you alright?” he asked and then immediately winced. “Sorry, that was a silly question.”   
  
He smiled gently at Penny but his niece had buried her face in her arms again, knees drawn up. She could feel more blood sliding against her skin and grimaced. 

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “ _ Please, _ Uncle Gadget....just...go away. I’m sorry, I’ll just…”

“Stop.”   
  
The word came out harsh and sharp. Penny flinched, startled, and looked up at Gadget with exhausted and pain-filled eyes. Her uncle never raised his voice to her; the only time he spoke sharply to her was when he was worried about her safety, like that time at the racecourse when he had barked at her to get off the track.

Gadget’s heart lurched at the pitiful state his niece was in. He slowly reached out to touch her knee. This time Penny didn’t pull away.

“I’m sorry, Penny. I’m not angry at you. I meant don’t apologize for something that’s natural. I should be apologizing,” he added, surprising the girl. “I should have thought of this,” he added gently, shifting his hand from her knee to her shoulder.

“It’s okay, Uncle,” she mumbled before another hot lance of pain made her wince. “Ow,” she whimpered, biting her lip against another painful cramp.

Gadget winced in sympathy, his hand still resting lightly on her shoulder as he knelt next to her but otherwise not making any other motion to touch her.

He watched Penny helplessly for a moment before speaking. “Do you think you can stand?”

Penny shook her head. “I...I don’t think I should,” she admitted in a hoarse whisper, feeling her face burn. 

A look of understanding came over Gadget’s features and he nodded. “Alright, hang on,” he said softly, leaning forward, arms outstretched. He put one hand under Penny’s knees and the other around her back, pulling her into his arms and then standing in one smooth, powerful motion.

“Uncle, don’t, I’m…”

Penny struggled but stopped when her aching muscles protested. Too exhausted and sick to care any more about feeling embarrassed, she went limp in Gadget’s arms, clutching his shirt with white-knuckled fingers as she shook and shivered.

“I’m taking you back to the hospital,” she heard him murmur against her ear. He squeezed her gently as he spoke, his arms a welcoming source of strength.

“No!”

“Penny…”   
  
“Please, no, Uncle...I-I’m fine…” Penny swallowed and managed to meet her uncle’s gaze. “I-I did some reading...it’s supposed to hurt a bit...no, really...this, this is normal,” she said, feeling a fresh rush of embarrassment heat her face.   
  
Gadget didn’t look reassured. “I can’t just watch you like this, Penny. Tell me what I can do to help.”   
  
Penny shook her head and leaned her forehead against her uncle’s. “Just hold me,” she managed to get out before another cramp had her gasping. She wrapped her arms around Gadget’s neck and buried her face in his shoulder, determined not to cry. She was tired of tears.

She felt his weight shift as he sat on the closed toilet, holding her sideways in his lap. His large hands, heavy and warm, stroked up and down her back in slow sweeps. Despite her best efforts Penny couldn’t stop a few tears of pain slipping down her face. She was suddenly desperately glad that he was holding her and gripped his broad shoulders tightly. Underneath her fingers she could feel the tenseness in the combined muscle and titanium that powered his limbs. The thought comforted Penny as she leaned on that incredible strength that held her with such gentleness.

“It’s alright,” Gadget murmured in her ear, feeling utterly helpless. “Shh...just relax...it’s alright. I’m here.” 

He kept whispering reassurances in her ear and it seemed to help, because he gradually felt Penny relax in his hold. Her arms were still wrapped loosely around his neck, not that he minded in the slightest. Gadget pressed a kiss against her silky soft hair, breathing in the familiar scent of lavender from her shampoo, before glancing down at her ankles.

His stomach lurched at the sight of blood drops against her skin, not out of disgust, but out of sheer helplessness. Gadget had of course tended to scraped knees and paper cuts over the years, but seeing his niece’s blood like this was jarring.

There really was nothing he could do for Penny right now except reassure her that there was no reason for her to be ashamed. He hated feeling helpless - he always had - and was determined to see his niece through this.

Gadget was starting to realize that Penny was taking on too much for her still very young age and he resolved that was going to stop right now. He wasn’t sure why Penny felt the need to constantly care for him - he was a world-famous inspector after all! - but he resolved that he was going to make sure she started taking better care of herself. 

He felt Penny stir in his arms and he rested his brow against her own, his nose brushing against her cheek. “I’ve got you,” he said softly. Penny wouldn’t meet his eyes and he held back a sigh. 

Gadget certainly understood how awkward she must feel right now - being a cyborg came with its own set of embarrassing physical mishaps - but at that moment he was more concerned with her health. Penny was still shivering and he remembered that her fever had only broken less than twelve hours ago. She needed a warm bed, hot food, and rest.

Shifting his weight a bit, Gadget adjusted Penny’s slight weight in his arms. He kept one arm wrapped securely around her back, using his other to tuck her robe more securely around her legs where it had shifted a bit. Penny let out a soft noise of distress and he kissed her sweat-dampened temple, wincing at how cold her skin felt. Just last night she had been burning up and now she was freezing. 

“Let’s get you into bed,” he said. He looked up and eyed the linen closet that was directly across the bathroom in the hallway. 

“Go go Gadget arm,” he said, stretching out his arm to grab a blanket from the closet. He didn’t want to move Penny without making sure she had an added layer to protect her modesty.

Nothing happened. 

Frowning, Gadget silently cursed his circuitry - of all times for his gadgets not to work! - and was considering what to do next when he spotted Brain standing in the doorway.

“Brain....” he began but the loyal dog was already one step ahead of him.

He disappeared down the hall and was back in seconds, a thick blanket clasped in his jaws.

“Thanks, Brain.”   
  
The dog butted Gadget’s knee in acknowledgement before giving Penny’s arm a gentle nudge with his nose. Penny finally loosened her grip on Gadget’s shirt to pat the dog with a shaking hand. “I’ll be okay, Brain,” she managed to smile down at the dog. Brain whined, sensing her embarrassment, and went back downstairs to wait for them.

Penny was still shivering and Gadget quickly wrapped the blanket around her, making sure her legs were completely covered. 

“Hang on,” he said quietly before standing and making his way out of the bathroom and down the hall.

Penny felt herself being lowered onto a bed and blinked open her eyes, surprised to see that she was in her uncle’s bedroom. She suddenly remembered that her own bed sheets were in the wash and felt touched at his thoughtfulness.

Gadget grabbed the sheets and pulled them up to her shoulders which she was grateful for. She was shivering and felt cold and clammy.

Penny closed her eyes and heard his footsteps - heavier than that of a normal man’s - go downstairs. She was just drifting off when she felt the bed dip next to her. She opened her eyes again to see Gadget holding something out to her.

“Here, try this.”   
  
It was a hot water bottle. She hesitated and then decided to swallow her pride and accepted it, quickly pulling it under the covers and pressing it against her abdomen. 

Gadget shifted on the bed’s edge, careful not to jostle her, and gently ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. “My poor girl,” he murmured, his voice tight with worry. 

Penny finally looked up at her uncle’s distraught face and momentarily forgot about her embarrassment. She pulled one arm out from under the covers and squeezed his hand.

“I’m okay, Uncle,” she said softly. When Gadget looked unconvinced she added, “well, not okay, but I will be. It...just caught me by surprise, that’s all. Sorry I scared you,” she mumbled, glancing down at the covers.

“Don’t apologize,” Gadget admonished softly. Slowly, carefully, he bent forward and pressed a kiss to her brow, keeping his weight braced on one arm.

He started to draw back but Penny reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping him in place so she could kiss his cheek. “Thank you for taking care of me,” she whispered, giving her uncle a smile that was brighter than any he had seen in days.

Gadget nodded and wrapped his free arm around Penny, returning the embrace while being mindful not to put any weight on her. Exhaustion was making his limbs feel even more heavy than they usually felt but he had one more thing he had to do.

Reluctantly pulling away from his niece’s warm embrace, he straightened and then stood. “Will you be alright for yourself for a bit?”   
  
Penny nodded. “I’m not planning on going anywhere,” she said with a weak laugh. Gadget gave her ankle a gentle squeeze before calling to Brain, who was in the bedroom in seconds, tail wagging anxiously.

“Brain, here boy,” he said, patting the bed. Brain needed no second bidding - he lightly jumped onto the bed, curling up by Penny’s side, his head resting on her shoulder.

Smiling at the sight, knowing that his niece was safe with their loyal dog, Gadget headed downstairs.

* * *

  
_ Metro City Airport _

_ 22 February 1986 _

Agent Donovan grabbed his carry on bag and stepped out of the airport into the brisk but sunny afternoon. At least the weather in Toronto was better than Boston, he mused.

Next to him Russo grabbed her own bag. “Right, I’m going to check into the hotel and start making some calls - see if anyone’s spotted our fugitive. If he’s in the area we need to get the borders locked down and alert the highway patrol units.”   
  
Donovan nodded, slipping on his sunglasses. “Sounds good. I’ll meet you back at the hotel after I’ve spoken with Quimby.”   
  
“Be careful, G-Man,” quipped Russo.

“Always am, G-Woman,” he shot back before hailing a cab.

* * *

Inspector Gadget was a man on a mission.

He stared down the aisle in front of him at the local grocery store. He had been pacing back and forth in front of the aisle for the better part of ten minutes, trying to work up the nerve to just grab what he needed and go. 

Simplicity itself.

Only, he actually wasn’t sure what exactly he, or rather Penny, needed.

One of the clerks was eyeing him warily (he had been banned from two other grocery stores for past damages to property, but it wasn’t  _ his _ fault the criminals had chosen to hide in there, he had tried to explain to an exasperated Quimby) and Gadget was just about to march down the aisle when a familiar voice called out to him.

“Inspector Gadget?”   
  
He turned to see a dark-haired, elegant-looking middle-aged woman watching him curiously.

“Oh, hello Mrs. Quimby,” he said. He had only met Quimby’s wife a few times over the years but she had always treated him with kindness and respect.

“Hello,” said Edith, smiling up at the inspector. “My husband mentioned that Penny was ill with the flu. How is she?” she asked gently, noticing the dark circles under Gadget’s eyes and his rumpled clothes.   


“Her fever broke this morning and she seemed better, and then…” Gadget trailed off, his face flushing. Seeing Edith’s confused look he startled to ramble a bit self-consciously. “I didn’t realize...but I really  _ should _ have thought about it. After all, she’s at that age now...I really had no idea...I thought she was hurt and now she’s embarrassed on top of being in pain and I don’t know what to  _ do _ …”

“Gadget.” Edith’s calm voice cut through his rising panic. Several customers were eyeing Gadget warily and gave the pair a wide berth.

The inspector stopped his rambling and blushed, rubbing a hand down his face. “My apologies, Mrs. Quimby,” he said. “I just…”   
  
Edith had a good idea of what was going on; she was a mother, after all. “How old is Penny now, Gadget?” she asked gently.   
  
“Thirteen - she’ll be fourteen in June.”   
  
“Ah, I see.” Her brown eyes glanced at the aisle Gadget had been dithering by and her gaze softened in understanding.

“Why don’t you sit down and get some coffee, Inspector?” she suggested, giving the baffled cyborg a gentle nudge towards the dining area. “Forgive me, but you look like you could use some,” she added. 

“I can’t, I need to-”

“Don’t you worry. I’ll take care of it.” 

Puzzled but also grateful, Gadget did as she suggested, sinking into the small plastic chair with a weary sigh.

Fifteen minutes later Edith returned just as Gadget was finishing the last of his coffee. Edith held a bag out to him.

“This should help for now,” she said. “No, no,” she said with a shake of her head and smile when Gadget insisted on paying her back for the items. “Consider it a helping hand from one parent to another.”

“Thank you,” was all Gadget could think to say, and the utter relief in the poor man’s face made Edith’s heart ache with compassion.

She leaned closer and Gadget bent down a bit so she wouldn’t have to stand on tip-toe. “I also wrote down a list of some foods that might help,” she added gently. “Make sure she eats lots of dark leafy greens. And there’s some tea in there that might also help,” she added, gesturing towards the bag.

He nodded and Edith patted his arm before leaving to finish her own shopping.

“Wowsers, this is more complicated than I thought,” sighed Gadget, browsing the list before heading to pick up the food items.

* * *

_ Quimby Residence _

_ 22 February 1986 _

“George, I want a word with you.”   
  
Quimby recognized that tone. Gulping, he lowered his paper enough to eye his wife cautiously over the top of it. Edith was a tiny woman - shorter than even her husband - but she was also intimidating when she was riled up. It was one of the things he loved about her, even if she was terrifying at times.

“Yes, dear?”   
  
“When was the last time you checked on Gadget and Penny?”   
  
“Yesterday, when I drove Gadget to the hospital,” he said, confused. “Why?”   
  
“What about before that?”   
  
“What are you on about, Edie?” said Quimby a bit impatiently, setting aside his paper as he reached for his pipe.   
  
“I mean any time before this week. When was the last time you, or anyone from the force, asked how Gadget was fairing as a single parent?”   
  
Quimby gaped at his wife, floored at the question. “Wha-what do you mean? Penny’s a smart girl...and Gadget...well, he’s Gadget.”   
  
“No,” said Edith firmly. “He’s also John Brown and a member of your force, even if he is affiliated with Interpol now as ‘Gadget’. Have you all forgotten that he’s one of your own? Has anyone asked Gadget lately how he’s coping with all of this? And what about Penny? I’ve never met her but she’s still a child, no matter how smart and mature she may be for her age. This whole business with the child welfare investigation can’t be easy on either of them.”

Quimby stared at his wife. It had been a long time since he had seen her this upset.

“What brought this on, Edie?”   
  
“I ran into Gadget at the market earlier today - he looked  _ exhausted, _ George,” said Edith. She took a seat next to her husband on the sofa and clasped his hands in her own.

“I know you often lose patience with Gadget. I wish I had known him before...well, before,” she said. “But from what you’ve told me over the years, it seems that his niece is the only one who still treats him like a man and not a machine.”

Stung, Quimby glanced away from his wife even as he knew the words were true.

“He’s not the same man, Edie. You don’t understand,” growled Quimby. “John Brown was the best man I knew, and that...that  _ thing _ he is now…”

Edith watched his face before saying in a very gentle voice, “It wasn’t your fault, George.”   
  
Quimby let out a harsh laugh and released his wife’s hands to pace across the room. “Wasn’t it? I was the senior officer in charge that night. I made the call to enter the building...Gadget was the first one inside. We didn’t know the building was rigged to blow.”   
  
“Gadget knew the risk, George,” said Edie. “Every officer who joins the force knows the risk they take every day.” She stood from the sofa and joined her husband, placing a hand on his arm.

“It was his choice to do the surgery, wasn’t it?” she continued softly. “George, you can’t keep carrying this guilt with you. At some point you’re going to have to deal with this.”

“I don’t know how,” Quimby growled, biting down hard on his empty pipe.

Edith smiled. “Well, you could start by checking in more often on Gadget and Penny, and not just for work. I’m sure Gadget could use a friend or two.”   
  
Quimby was silent for a long moment before sighing. “Have I ever told you how brilliant you are?” he said gruffly.

His wife laughed softly and kissed his cheek. “Many times, dear. Many times.”

* * *

_ Somewhere in downtown Metro City _

_ 23 February 1986 _

Dave Bernardino closed the file to his latest case. Smirking, the lawyer decided that his side job was paying even more than his regular high-profile cases. It had been child’s play to manipulate that idiotic woman into giving some very helpful details into Inspector Gadget’s private life...

“Well, is everything ready?”

He jumped clear out of his seat and fell flat on his backside when the cold voice spoke directly in his ear.

“Jesus! How’d you get in?” the lawyer demanded, scrambling to his feet and gripping the edge of his desk as a shadowy figure emerged. It was dark in his office and he suddenly remembered that at this time of night he was completely alone. The lone security officer was clear on the other side of the tall building where his office was located. Bernardino swallowed hard.

“Call it a magic trick,” the shadowy figure said with a laugh. A pair of glowing red eyes gleamed at Bernardino.

_ ‘Holy shit,’ _ the lawyer thought, trying to keep his legs from shaking.  _ ‘He really is the real deal.’ _

Hoping to hide just how terrified he was, Bernardino straightened and glared at his visitor. “Yeah, it’s all taken care of,” he said. “I’ve done my part - now where’s my payment?”   
  
The red-eyed man (if he could even be called a man anymore) stepped further into the dim light cast by the small lamp on Bernardino’s desk. “Oh, don’t worry, you’re getting your dues. In fact, I’m here to deliver them  _ personally. _ ”

* * *

_ 26 February 1986 _

To Penny’s immense relief her uncle didn’t mention the bathroom incident again, or even touch upon the subject during the days that followed. He still fussed over her, making sure she was eating properly and getting enough rest, but otherwise Gadget continued on with his normally cheerful demeanor.

In truth Penny was deeply touched at his consideration towards her (as well as the fact that he had gone shopping for her when she had been too ill to do so herself). She knew her uncle loved and cared for her, but the past few weeks had revealed a side to him that she hadn’t even realized had existed before. Over the past few days she had caught him gazing at her with a thoughtful, wistful expression and she did her best to put his worries at ease by letting him fuss over her.

And yet, part of Penny worried that Gadget was stepping out of his comfort zone only for her benefit. She never wanted her uncle to feel embarrassed or do anything he wasn’t comfortable with, even if it meant keeping her at a distance.

But what worried Penny even more was the fact that, for some inexplicable reason, her uncle’s gadgets had suddenly stopped working altogether. They didn’t misfire - they just wouldn’t work. At all. Gadget legs, arms, hat, hands, scissors, water gun...none of it seemed to work.

Gadget had called Von Slickstein again at Penny’s urging and he did so, quickly explaining the situation to his old friend.

“It could be from the electric shock,” the professor said slowly, “but then, you’ve experienced far worse, isn’t that so?”   
  
“Yes, and nothing like this has ever happened before,” said Gadget.

“Hmm,” said Von Slickstein. He stared at Gadget for a long moment, his expression unreadable. 

“Tell me, Gadget, have you been under any stress lately? I mean more so than what is normal for your line of work?”   
  
Gadget shifted a bit uncomfortably. “A bit,” he admitted.

“I suspect that’s why,” said Von Slickstein. “Your electronic components are voice-activated, but they can also respond - or not respond - to your brain’s signals without you being aware of them.”   
  
When both Gadget and Penny gave the professor a puzzled look the elderly gentleman continued. “Stress is a powerful stimulant - it can have a profound impact on the body’s mental and physical wellbeing. I suspect that’s why your gadgets are malfunctioning.”   
  
“What can we do, Professor?” said Penny.

“I’m not certain, my dear,” said Von Slickstein, surprising both her and Gadget. “The human mind is a vastly complex thing...science has only begun to touch upon its secrets. And when you add in the very new field of human bionics...well, there are no easy answers.”   
  
Von Slickstein gave his two friends a wise look. “Gadget, my best advice is to try to let these things come back naturally to you. Remember, you have all the tools you need but your human instincts are just as important. Trust them, and trust yourself.”   
  
With that the professor ended the call, leaving a very baffled inspector to wonder what on earth his old friend had meant.

* * *

_ 27 February 1986 _

_ “This just in - one of Metro City’s most prominent private attorneys, Dave Bernardino, was found dead in the early hours of the morning. While police are still investigating the crime scene, early reports are coming in that the cause of death was suicide. However, there is also speculation that Bernardino was actually murdered…he was initially reported missing on February 23…” _

“Should you be watching that, Penny?” said Gadget with a frown, his eyes on the T.V. as he put on his tie. 

Quimby had called him into the office, saying it was urgent, and yes, that was an  _ order,  _ Gadget, get down here  _ now, _ before hanging up.

Gadget had briefly considered ignoring the chief’s directive (much to Penny’s shock) and had only reconsidered after Penny had reassured him she would be fine by herself.

“Besides, I won’t be alone. I’ll have Brain here,” she said, gesturing towards the dog, who immediately sat up straighter. 

“I know, Penny, I just…”

The doorbell suddenly rang, making all three turn towards the door. Gadget opened the door, surprised to see Edith Quimby standing outside.

“Good morning, Gadget,” said the woman, giving the cyborg a gentle smile. “Might I come in?” she said, gesturing towards the rain outside.

“Oh, of course!” said Gadget, opening the door wider to let her in.

Penny poked her head around the corner and Edith smiled at the girl. “Hello, Penny. We haven’t met,” she added, seeing Penny’s surprise that she knew her name. “I’m Edith Quimby, Chief Quimby’s wife.”   
  
“Gosh, it’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Quimby,” said Penny, shaking the woman’s hand. She knew Chief Quimby was married but she had never met his wife until today. “This is Brain,” she added, gesturing towards the dog. “He’s super friendly.”   
  
“I can tell,” laughed Edith, patting Brain’s head gently. Brain barked happily, clearly enjoying the attention.

“Inspector, I apologize for dropping by unannounced but my husband suspected that you’d need some...ah, convincing to go down to the station. He asked if I might stay with Penny, if that’s alright with you,” she said, turning to the girl and winking.

Penny nodded, deciding that she liked Mrs. Quimby a lot. She had an easy, calm demeanor about her that instantly put her at ease.

“Gee, that’s awfully nice of you, Mrs. Quimby,” said Gadget. He put on his coat and grabbed his hat but lingered near the door.

“You’ll call if you need anything?” he asked, his gaze shifting to Penny for a moment. He knew Penny was nearly back to full health but he hated the thought of leaving her, even if she was with someone he trusted.

Penny nodded. “We’ll be fine, Uncle,” she said softly. 

“And you won’t go out in this rain either…”   
  
“No, Uncle,” said Penny. “I promise. Have a good day and I’ll see you later.”   
  
Gadget nodded, tugged his hat on over his head, and stepped out into the rainy, blustery day.

A bit unsure of what to do (they rarely had guests over), Penny led Edith into the living room and offered her a seat before clicking on the TV. After settling on an old episode of  _ The Twilight Zone _ she glanced at Mrs. Quimby.

“Can I get you anything, ma’am?”   
  
Edith gave Penny a gentle smile. “No thank you, my dear,” she said. Somehow when she said “my dear” it didn’t sound condescending to Penny like when Mrs. Johnson had said it.

“In fact,” the older woman continued, “I should ask you that question. Is there anything you need?”

The girl sighed. “You know about the CAS investigation, don’t you?”   
  
“Yes, Penny,” said Edith calmly, surprising the girl with her honesty. “I am sorry - I hope you don’t think me a horrid gossip or a busybody, it’s only that being the wife of a police chief….well, you learn to share burdens over the years.”

Penny nodded. “I understand,” she said softly. They sat in silence for a while and Penny finally mustered up the courage to ask a question that had been on her mind for some time now.

“Mrs. Quimby?”   
  
“Yes?”

“Can...can I ask you a question? It’s…” Penny shifted uncomfortably. “It’s a bit personal.”

“Well, you may certainly ask,” said Edith calmly. 

“What you said about sharing burdens…”

Edith nodded, her dark eyes steady and calm as she patiently waited for Penny to gather her thoughts.

“What if...what if you wanted to protect somebody you cared about? And the only way to do that was to keep a secret from them? A really, really big secret. Is…” Penny swallowed and had to pause for a moment before she could continue. “Is that wrong?”   
  
“Well, that would depend, Penny. I was brought up to believe that a lie - even if given with good intentions - is always wrong.”   
  
“Oh,” said Penny, her heart sinking as she stared down at her hands. Her eyes blurred with tears again and why could she not stop crying? It seemed that every little thing over the past few months set off tears and she hastily wiped at her face.

“But what if telling the truth would hurt the person you’re trying to protect? What if he-they got mad if they found out the truth, or…” she swallowed again. “Or they hated you for trying to protect them?”

Edith was quiet for a long moment before speaking. “You sound very certain about this person’s reaction, Penny.”

She felt the sofa dip as Edith came to sit next to her.

“Penny, perhaps this is too forward of me to ask, but I know how much my husband cares about both you and your uncle...are you in any trouble?”   
  
“No, Mrs. Quimby,” said Penny, looking up and meeting the older woman’s gaze squarely. “I promise I’m not in any sort of trouble. Well, there’s the investigation...but nothing else.”

“I believe you,” said Edith, once again surprising Penny. Mrs. Quimby was actually talking with her, she realized, not to her. She was treating Penny like a young adult.

“I won’t ask for any details, Penny. I’ll only repeat what I said before - burdens are much easier to bear when they’re shared. My husband and I had to learn that the hard way. I’m sure whatever is troubling you, your uncle would want to know.”

“Oh, but I wasn’t...I didn’t mean…” Penny stammered.

“I know, Penny,” said Edith. “You don’t have to say it. But if you ever do wish to talk, you may always call me, or stop by for a visit. Your uncle has more friends that he perhaps realizes and that’s our fault.”   
  
Penny nodded. “Thank you, Mrs. Quimby,” she said.

“You’re welcome, Penny.”

* * *

When Gadget returned home later that afternoon he was pleasantly surprised to find Edith and Penny seated at the kitchen table, talking and laughing like old friends. He paused for a moment in the kitchen entryway, leaning against the wall as he took in the scene, his eyes focused on Penny’s glowing face. 

He wondered if every father felt like this, proud and terrified that their beautiful, brilliant daughter (or niece, in his case) was growing up. 

He must have made some noise because Penny looked up and noticed him. 

“Uncle Gadget, you’re back!” she exclaimed happily, standing to give him a quick hug. Gadget returned the embrace, glancing over Penny’s head to look questioningly at Edith.

The woman smiled and winked at Gadget, her dark eyes warm and reassuring. Relieved, Gadget smiled down at his niece.

“I see you two had fun,” he said, ruffling his niece’s hair. 

“We did,” said Penny, smiling up at Gadget.   
  
“Thank you again for talking with me, Mrs. Quimby,” she said, turning back towards Edith. The older woman gave Penny a gentle smile. “You’re very welcome, Penny. I hope to see you again soon. Gadget, a word before I go?”   
  
Gadget nodded and followed Edith outside onto the front porch, closing the door behind him. Edith beamed up at him, the lines around her eyes doing nothing to diminish the warmth in them.

“Oh Gadget, she’s a lovely child! And she’ll be quite a fine young lady someday soon. You must be very proud of her.” 

“Thank you,” said Gadget. “And I am proud of her. Most days I’m amazed that we’re even related,” he added with a soft laugh but Edith could see the doubt in his eyes.

“You don’t give yourself enough credit, Gadget,” she said gently, putting a reassuring hand on his arm. “Penny told me you’ve raised her since she was barely three years old - all she could talk about was you.”

“Is…” Gadget paused and shifted a bit awkwardly. “Is she alright?”

Edith smiled at the inspector. “Yes, I think so. She’s growing up, that’s all.”   
  
“Too fast,” Gadget sighed.

Edith patted Gadget’s arm. “Well, I think you’re doing a splendid job with her. She really is a lovely young girl. But…” she paused, uncertain of whether to continue but decided that the poor man could use some helpful tips, given Penny’s age. “If I might offer some advice, from a woman’s perspective?”   
  
Gadget nodded, looking relieved at the suggestion.

“Don’t worry about being perfect, Gadget. Children don’t want perfection in their parents - they want someone they can talk to.”   
  
Gadget studied his gloved hands. “I...I don’t really remember...that is, I’m not…”   
  
“Just be yourself. Penny loves you dearly and she’ll need you more than ever these next few years. Can you do that?”   
  
“I’d do anything for her,” the inspector said, his grey eyes glinting with rare clarity. Edith suddenly wondered what this man must have been like in his previous state before becoming a cyborg. She could see glimmers of the man her husband had held in such high esteem in Gadget’s steel grey eyes. 

“I’ve no doubts about that.” Edith glanced down at her watch, her eyes widening slightly. “I must be off - I need to run by the grocery store before the evening traffic hits. Goodbye, Gadget. I hope I see you and Penny again soon. And goodbye to you too, Brain,” she added, smiling down at the dog who had followed them outside.

After Edith had gone Gadget sighed again and looked down at Brain.

“Women sure are confusing sometimes,” he told his dog.   
  
Brain whuffed in agreement.

* * *

_ That evening... _

Gadget and Penny had finished dinner and were settling down to watch the evening news when there was a sharp knock at the door.

“Gadget, it’s Quimby,” said a familiar gruff voice. Penny exchanged a concerned glance with Brain as Gadget opened the door to let his boss in. Her uncle had refused to discuss why Quimby wanted to see him earlier today but she could tell by the look on Quimby’s face that something serious had happened.

“The FBI has taken over everything,” growled Quimby without preamble. He looked furious - far angrier than Penny had ever seen him. “They’re letting me stay on to help - probably your friend Donovan’s doing,” he added, shooting Gadget a look. “But we need to move fast before they freeze us out completely.”   
  
“Uncle Gadget, what’s going on?” said Penny. Quimby blinked and finally seemed to notice the girl who was watching both men anxiously.

“Hello, Penny,” he said shortly. “You’re looking better. And I’m sorry, but I’m not able to discuss this with you.” He turned back to Gadget. “Well, are you still in?”

“Yes. I’m seeing this through to the end, Chief,” said Gadget, a familiar look of stubborn determination coming over his face.

Quimby stared up at Gadget for a moment, seeming to make a silent decision before nodding.

“You’ll need this then,” he said, tossing something heavy and wrapped in leather to Gadget.

He caught the object and unwrapped it and then froze in surprise. It was his old service revolver and shoulder holster.

Penny stared.

Gadget looked from the holster to Quimby. “I don’t carry a gun anymore, Chief.”   
  
“I know,” growled Quimby. “But the FBI is taking the lead on this. I have no say. The only way they’ll let you come along without your gadgets working is if you’re armed and follow their orders to the letter. It’s your call, Gadget. I’ll be waiting in the car. Hurry up!” he added before leaving. 

There was a heavy silence after the door had closed. Gadget looked back down the holster, surprised at how good condition the leather was in. He had no idea Quimby had kept it all these years. He hesitated for another moment before pulling the revolver out, making sure it was unloaded. He opened the chamber and spun it - the gun was clean and in pristine condition.

Penny watched as Gadget handled the gun with the easy skill of a seasoned police officer. She had never seen him even touch a gun before.

Gadget snapped the chamber closed and placed it back in the holster before pulling the straps over his shoulders.

“Wowsers, this is a bit tighter than I remember,” he said, frowning as he twisted to attach the harness to his belt.

“I’ve never seen you use a gun, Uncle Gadget,” said Penny quietly. Seeing it made the situation almost surreal.

Gadget looked up from the strap he had been trying to loosen - his torso was wider now with added muscle and steel mass - to look at his niece.

“I’ve no intention of using it, Penny,” said Gadget, a rare look of utter seriousness coming across his face.

“I know, Uncle,” said Penny. She stepped forward and fixed the strap he had been struggling with, careful not to jostle the holster. “Be careful,” she said, holding onto the leather for a moment as she looked up at her uncle.

Gadget nodded and Penny stepped back. “Good luck, Uncle Gadget.”   


**Author's Note:**

> I always felt that Gadget was slightly more competent in the original series (especially in Season 1 episodes such as 'Haunted Castle'), so that's how I've written him here. Plus I don't think Gadget would have ever made the rank of Inspector without being competent and skilled as a police officer, especially if he earned that rank before becoming a cyborg.


End file.
